The Camping Trip
by Aquile Storm
Summary: Ichigo and his classmates go for a school camping trip. Then, Ichigo and Rukia got lost in the forest. What will they do now? IchiRuki. Slight IshiHime. CHAPTER 13 UP!
1. Announcement

**THE CAMPING TRIP **

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach…

Author's note: This is my second fanfic. Please review. Constructive criticism very much welcome.

**Announcement**

One morning, during Science class, Ms Mayuki announced, "Our school is organising a camping trip. This trip is very educational, as we will be showing you some of the interesting things in the forest. You will also be learning some basic camp stuff…"

_Aw… Great, another stupid trip. _Thought Ichigo

"Oh and I forgot. This trip is COMPULSORY."

"What!"

"Yes, Kurosaki… this trip is compulsory." Some of his classmates snigger at his sudden reaction. "Here this list concludes everything that you need to bring to this trip. You can bring any extra items if you want." The Science teacher added.

He looked at the list:

_3day 2 night clothing_

_Hiking boots_

_Matches_

_Camera_

He stopped reading and stared at the word _camera_, then looked at Rukia. How is he going to afford a camera for her?

"Inoue, what's a ka-me-ra?"

Orihime looked a bit surprised. "It's a thing that takes pictures. But if there was a camera that could give you superpowers. I will definitely get one because-"

"Oh. Okay. Thanks Inoue." She cut her off, not wanting to hear anything about super powered Orihimes.

Then, Ichigo passed her a note:

_You know you could've asked me! Do you know how odd is it to not know what a camera is? Especially if you live in _Japan!

She replied:

_Well, I've only been here for what? Four weeks? And you never told me a thing about this camera thing. _

And she drew an angry-faced Chappy, sticking its tongue out.

_Your drawing still sucks, you know. _He replied.

Ichigo had just wanted to send her the paper when Ms Mayuki saw him.

"There will be no note-passing in my class! Throw that paper away. I'm giving you extra homework for today!"

_Great…_

So, how was it? Chapter two will be about how Ichigo solves the camera problem… ;3

Review please…


	2. Preparation

Preparation

Ichigo was waiting for Rukia outside the school gate. "Where _is_ she?" He said as he looked around, not even noticing that he was talking to himself; but then again, no one was around to accuse him of doing so either. He kept looking around for another good two minutes, in search of Rukia.

"That girl's going to make me late. Ive got homework to do. What an inconsidera-" The small and slender figure in front of him had made him stop in mid-sentence, as he shifted his gaze and lowered his head, in order to have to look at her.

"You were saying?" She had been standing in front of him, arms crossed, for about a minute, wearing an authoritive look on her face as she interrupted the complaining substitute Shinigami. "Nothing," He huffed.

"Well then, c'mon we need to pack!" She said as she pulled him by the wrist.

As they reached the front of the Kurosaki household, Ichigo had continued through the gate and into the front door to enter his house, while Rukia climbed up somehow and entered through his window.

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After dinner, Ichigo took little bowl of rice and whatever they had had for dinner that wasn't eaten, and went up the stairs. The tall teen gave Rukia the tray of food and sat down on his study table and started to do his homework. Rukia was eating her dinner on the floor while reading the list that Ms Mayuki gave her that morning.

"Ichigo," she said looking at the list "Where can I get this ka-kamera things?"

I. Am. Not spending money just for her to get a new camera. He thought as he tried to do his complicated Maths question.

"Oi! Ichigo are you listening? Oi!" she threw him a book. The hardcover type.

She meant to hit the back of his head with it, but Ichigo turned around at the last second. So it smacked him square on the face.

"What the hell was that for?!" He said rubbing his now very red nose. N_ote to self: never ignore Rukia whenever she has a book near her._

"Well, that's what you get for ignoring me!" Rukia stuck her tongue at him. " Anyway, where can I get this…" she glanced at the list she was holding. "…_camera_ thing?"

"What am I supposed to do? Buy you a new camera?" He got back to his Maths question.

"Well, why don't you? We _have _to bring this remember?"

"Pfft, as if. Do you even know how expensive a camera is?"

"No." She pouted and took a sip of her soup. "Ah! Why don't you ask your father?"

"As if he'll let me… And besides I just know we'll end up fighting. Stupid old geezer."

"How about your sisters?"

"Fine…" He was tired of her suggestions anyway. He got up, leaving his maths book open on his study table and went to Karin and Yuzu's room.

Karin's room

Karin was laying on her bed, stomach down. She was listening to music while reading a manga. Ichigo came in and asked her if he could borrow her camera.

Karin dog-eared the page and closed the book. She then took off her headphones that she was wearing. "What happened to yours?" She asked accusingly

"It's… it's broken…" he lied.

"Why don't you ask Yuzu? I'm not giving you mine… you'll just break it like you did to yours."

"Aw, please…"

"No. That is my final word. _No._ Ask Yuzu ok?" She put her headphones back and and began reading from where she left off.

Kitchen

As he entered the kitchen, Ichigo saw Yuzu washing the dishes. He asked the same question to his light brown-haired sister.

"Yuzu, can you lend me your camera? I need it for my school camping trip."

"Can you ask Karin, Ichi-nii? I'm a bit busy now…" The brown-haired girl said as she scrubbed a sticky pot.

"But she said to ask you."

"Okay. Get it from my room it's on the side table, Ichi-nii."

And that's what he did. After getting the camera from Karin, he went back to his room. The tall teen gave Rukia the camera and got back to his Maths question.

Rukia looked that the camera from every angle, trying to figure out how to use that device. In the end, she couldn't figure it out so she asked Ichigo. " How do you _use_ this? Ichigo! Teach me!"

"Can't. I've got _extra_ homework to do. Remember?" His voice showed a sense of annoyance.

"Don't say like it's my fault!" Her hands were on her hips "I didn't ask you to pass that note."

He ignored her and tried to do his Maths homework, constantly cursing the tricky question. Realizing that Ichigo wasn't going to help, the female shinigami crept in Yuzu's room to 'borrow' some of her clothes…

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Ahaha! Umm… that was…bad. But, what do you think? Bad? Very bad? Very, very bad? Or okay? Lemme know by reviewing! 


	3. Rock, Paper, Scissors

**Rock, Paper, Scissors**

"We're late! This is all your fault! I told you to sleep early yesterday!" Rukia yelled as they ran the usual path to school.

"No, you did not!" He snapped.

"Yes I did! I guess you were just too busy being a moron to hear me, hmm?"

They reached the school 15 minutes late. "Aaa, Kurosaki, Kuchiki, you are late. Please sit down." Ms Mayuki said. Once the two late students has settled down she continued, "Like I said, since we don't have enough tents… I guess some of you will have to share."

All the students groaned (except Keigo, Rukia, and Ichigo. Keigo was hoping that he could share with Rukia. And as for the other two, they were too exhausted to complain)

"Okay! Inoue pair up with Kuchiki…" Ms Mayuki said, looking at a list she has took out from her back jeans pocket.

"YAY! I'm with Kuchiki-san!" Orihime jumped up causing some of the students to stare at her. Keigo and Chizuru both looked disappointed.

_Pervert. He must of wanted to be paired up with Rukia…_ thought Ichigo, who was still catching his breath.

"Okaay…" the Science teacher blinked twice. "Kurosaki. You pair up with… Asano"

Ichigo was too stunned to say a word. Keigo, however was not.

"WHAT!? NO I REFUSE TO SLEEP WITH HIM!! WHY CAN'T I PAIR UP WITH KUCHIKI?!" Keigo protested.

"I'm sorry but we're trying to make it guy-guy and girl-girl"

"Then can I be with 'Hime?" Chizuru stood up looking hopeful.

"No Chizuru. But you will be paired up with…" The teacher checked her list "Arisawa."

"WHAT??!!" They yelled, simultaneously. Tatsuki stood up instantly. They're both complained as loud as they can to Ms Mayuki. Ichigo was still too shocked to hear anything else. Not even Tatsuki and Chizuru's protests. After Ms Mayuki calmed them down she got back to her list.

"Oi! Ichigo, pay attention," Rukia whispered. When he didn't react, she pinched his arm. Hard.

"OWWW!" everybody stared at Ichigo.

Seeing that everybody was looking in their direction, Rukia lied casually, " Don't worry. It's just an ant that bit him."

_More like a bitch that pinched me. _He glared at her while rubbing his stinging arm. She grins.

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"Anyway, since I've paired up everyone, now I want you to work out who will carry the tent." She said with a smile. Her smile drooped to a frown as Chizuru and Tatsuki came up to her and complained.

Ichigo and Keigo however, complained about a different thing, the tent. "You're gonna carry that tent right?" Ichigo said, straightaway.

"No way, man."

"Well, I'm not gonna carry that heavy thing!"

Keigo crossed his arms and huffed, "Me neither!"

"One of us has to carry it!"

"Rock, Paper, Scissors?"

"Two outta three. Loser –which will be you- carries that tent."

"We'll see who will be the loser"

And so Keigo and Ichigo played Rock, Paper, Scissors. Here are the results:

_Rock, rock_

_Scissors, scissors_

_Scissors, scissors_

_Rock, rock _

"Stop copying me!" Ichigo yelled, frustrated.

"Who's copying?" Keigo reacted.

"You are!"

Scissors, rock 

"HAH! One point for me!" Keigo yelled.

Rock, rock 

_Rock, paper_

"One point for me too," said Ichigo

_Paper, paper_

_Paper, paper_

_Rock, rock_

_Paper, paper_

_Scissors, scissors_

_Scissors, paper_

"YESS! I WON!" Keigo punched the air for his victory. Ichigo was looking a bit angry and irritated. Keigo took the tent and put it in front of Ichigo. "I'm so lucky today!" Keigo said and he danced and twirled around the hall. "Stupid tent," Ichigo muttered. And exactly after saying that, the bus finally came.

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Okay this was short… Anyway –points to the review button- Please Review 


	4. The Bus Ride

Disclaimer: don't own Bleach just the weird plot.

**The bus ride**

"Okay! For those who still haven't solved that tent problem, please I want you to sit together. There should be no note passing, talking –" Ms Mayuki glanced at Chizuru and Tatsuki "… _or fighting_."

"Rukia-chan, since Tatsuki-chan is sitting with Chizuru, can I sit with you please?" Orihime asked. "Oh sure! Let's sit here! I want to sit beside the window!" Rukia replied with her annoying fake voice. They sat in the third row on the left.

"Keigo, I want a rematch!" Ichigo said.

"Why? I won remember?"

"Heh… you cheated…"

"What?! Fine. We'll sit here. And I get to sit next to the window."

They sat in the row in front of Rukia and Orihime and started to play _Rock, Paper, Scissors _again. Chizuru and Tatsuki sat on the opposite of Ms Mayuki.

"Ms Mayuki, can't we pleeaassee change tentmates?" Tatsuki asked sweetly.

"I'm sorry Tatsuki but everyone else has a partner. If you can find a person who will be glad to change, then I could."

"WHO WANT'S TO BE PARTNERED WITH MEEE!!!" Chizuru screamed in the bus. No one raised their hand but merely just gawk at the screaming girl. "Chizuru! No yelling in the bus!" shouted Ms Mayuki. "But you are yelling too…" The frustrated teacher ignored her and faced Tatsuki.

"I'm sorry Tatsuki but even if there was a person who would change with you, there is no one to be partners with Chizu-."

"Aaahh… just let Tatsuki be with Kuchiki-san… I'll be glad to be with 'Hime!" Chizuru cut the teacher off.

"As if I'll let you be with her! You'll just do 'something' to her!" objected Tatsuki.

"Nu-uhh!"

"Yu-uhh!"

"_Nu-uhh!_"

"_Yu-uhh!_"

"_NU-UHH!_"

"_YU-UHH!_"

"**_NU-UHH!_"**

"**_YU-UHH!_"**

"Girls! No fighting!"

Tatsuki and Chizuru just ignored her.

In the meantime, Keigo was having another game of _Rock, Paper, Scissors _with Ichigo. In the end, Ichigo lost. Three times in a row. He gave up.

"Get over it, man. Maybe it's just your luck to carry that te-"

Ichigo cut him off by punching him.

"OWW! Ichigo! Why do you have to be so cruel?!" rubbing his sore nose

_Three hours later._

Ichigo was starting to be restless. He was bored.

Keigo is already sleeping. "Ne… Rukia-chan, I'll be glad to dance with you." He smiled in his sleep and drooled a bit. Ichigo looked disgusted.

Orihime was starting to doze off. And Rukia was engrossed with her manga.

"Hey, Rukia" it was okay to call her by her first name by now since most of his friends are sleeping. "You got any other manga?" She didn't hear him. "Oi… Ruu-kia…" he started to poke her head. She reacted… by hitting him on the head with her (actually Karin's) manga.

"Don't bug me! I'm getting to an exciting part." And she got back to her manga.

He 'hmmph-ed' and slumped down to his seat, arms crossed. He couldn't even play games on his cell phone since he wasn't allowed to bring it. In fact, the only technology he could bring was the camera.

Later on he… just… drifted… to sleep.

…Karakura park…

He was walking alone in the park. "Where the hell _is_ everybody?"

Then he saw Rukia on the swing. She was wearing a dress he never saw her wear before. It was light pink that reached up to her knee.

"Hey! Rukia!" She turned to face Ichigo. Hey eyes looked sad but she smiled weakly. "Hi Ichigo."

"Need a push?" he asked. She just nodded.

Suddenly he heard a cry from Rukia. He stopped swinging her. "Hey, Rukia, you okay?" he asked softly. Tears started falling down her sweet face. "Rukia…"

"I was so scared." She said looking into his hazel eyes. "I was scared that you would't be here. To protect me." She looked down and started sobbing.

"Rukia," he placed a hand on the female shinigami's chin to lift her head up so she was no longer staring at the ground "I'm here now." And he wiped her tears away.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his broad shoulder. Ichigo blushed furiously. "Thank you Ichigo," She whispered into his ear. He smiled and hugged her.

When she finally let go, she stood up and said, " Come on Ichigo, let's go home,"

They were walking through the park. Ichigo stopped by to pick some flowers when suddenly two men in shinigami clothing appeared. Those men took Rukia away.

"RUKIA!"

He felt his whole body shaking. "Wh-th-h--wh-_what_?!" Ichigo opened his eyes and saw… Keigo was staring at him. He was grinning. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT _FOR_?!"

"You know when you were sleeping just now, you, you blushed. Like crazy. Then you started to –mmph- yell _RUKIA! RUK-" _At this point Keigo burst into laughter.

Ichigo's rep is all gone by now. XD

Anyway, Ichigo is all OOC in here. But lemme know what you think, kay?

Please review.


	5. Just What he Needed

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Bleach

Author's note: I just want to say thanks to **Real-Kill** for giving me the idea about Rukia and the matches and to all my reviewers... On with the story!

**Just what he needed (not exactly)**

"We'll have to walk from here to our camping ground. While we are, I want you to take as many pictures of flowers and trees as you can. You will identify the plants when we reach the camping ground. The camp facilitators will help you," Said the bespectacled Science teacher. "Oh and the student who can identify the most plants will win a prize which will be given out at the end of this trip."

"Yahoo! A game! And prizes! YAY! Tatsuki-chan, let's walk together," Orihime linked arms with Tatsuki. "'Hime! Can't _I _walk with you?" Chizuru ran towards Orihime and Tatsuki. "Buzz off, you pervert!" Tatsuki kicked her in the stomach.

"Ichigo! Think fast!" Keigo threw the tent at the orange-haired shinigami. Ichigo caught it, fortunately. _Damn, this is heavy! I have to carry this stupid friggin' tent _and _my backpack! _

_----------------------------_

Rukia was having a hard time with her tent. "This tent is so heavy!" Keigo skipped towards her. "Kuchiki-san, want me to help you carry that tent?" he offered. "Thank you Asano-kun! You're very nice."

"WHAT?" Ichigo was fuming. "OI Keigo! If you wanna carry a tent that bad, carry THIS one!" Ichigo pointed to the tent that he was dragg- carrying.

"You lost on our game. You carry that one." Ichigo swore under his breath. Keigo was starting to irritate him.

"Kuchiki! Kurosaki! Asano! Get a move on!" Everyone else was already walking. "If you don't pay attention you will get lost in this thick forest," said Ms Mayuki.

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Almost everyone was taking pictures as the group was walking through the secondary forest. All except Rukia and Ichigo. He wasn't interested in the prizes. In fact, he wasn't even interested in the camping trip itself. As for Rukia, she still has a very vague impression on that camera.

"Kurosaki-kun, can you help me? I think it's broken."

"What is?"

"My k-k-ka…" she said, trying to remember.

"Camera."

"Yeah! That is" She pulled him a bit away from the group. "Ichigo, you still haven't taught me how to use this ka-me, ka-me…"

"Camera! What's so damn hard to say _camera!" _He was drowsy since he didn't sleep in the bus. (Well, not after he had that dream, that is.) And he was getting more and more tired carrying his backpack and the tent.

"You didn't have to yell, you know! I'm right here! So anyway, teach me how to use this thing. I wanna win that prize."

"I can't believe you actually _want _that damn prize. If the school's providing it, it must've been something cheap and inferior like an eraser or a penc-"

"Look! Are you gonna teach me or not?" Her hands are on her hips "Or do I have to ask _Asano-kun _to help," She was using that fake schoolgirl voice that made Ichigo twitch.

"Okay fine! All you have to do is just press the button on top whil-" She pressed it. In front of his face. The flash blinded him for a couple of seconds. " AH! I meant when you're aiming at a damn _tree_!" Ichigo said as he rubbed his amber eyes. Then he deleted the unfocused, half picture of him.

"You didn't say it." She pouted. "You cut me off. Just take that stupid tree's picture already!" He snapped, clearly exasperated

She took the picture. "Oh look! There's a pretty flower over there! C'mon lets go!"

"Wh-th- Oi! Rukia let GO!" she tightened her grip on Ichigo's wrist. "Come. On"

"…" Ichigo opened his mouth and closed it again; decided he was waaay too exhausted to argue. She took a picture of the purple orchid. "Lookie! A fruit tree!"

She went there, pullin-no, dragging- Ichigo. She photographed the tree and photographed the fruits at least thrice. Then she saw yet _another_ plant and dragged Ichigo away. This happened for five minutes straight. Photograph, found a plant, drag Ichigo. Photograph, found a plant, drag Ichigo.

Then, finally she said, "Okay! I think I have enough pictures from here already." She looked around for more pretty (in her opinion) things to photograph. "Yup. Enough pictures…"

"More than enough. Come on let's get back to the group" Then he stopped dead in his tracks. Rukia bumped into him. "Oi, Ichigo, something wrong?"

"YEA THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG! THE WHOLE GROUP ISN'T HERE!"

"What? Let me see" She pushed Ichigo out of the way. "W-w-we're lost?" she stammered.

"YEA WE'RE LOST! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"

"Wha? Why is this _my_ fault?"

"_You_ dragged _me_ all the way here!"

"Well… you didn't teach me how to use this, this thing!" She waved the camera in front of his face.

"Damn! I'm lost in the middle of this stupid forest _and _I'm stuck with _you!_"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

He took no notice of her and started to trace back his tracks. "Okay first we went right…" He walked to the right. Rukia followed him in silence. "…Then you saw that flower so we went left, right, right-" The turned left then right and then right again "Or was it right, right, left? ARGH! NO! It was straight, left, left…"

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"Miss Mayuki! Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-kun aren't here!" Orihime was the first to notice. Everybody else was too busy taking pictures.

"What! They aren't?" She started to count the students. There were two students less. "Oh my! You're right, Inoue! What are we going to do? We've just reached the camping grounds. Should we go back and try to find them? AH! Mr Hiroshi!"

Ms. Mayuki frantically asked the camp facilitators to have a search party.

"I'm sorry but it's too late to be searching. Even if we did, it'll be getting pretty dark soon and we won't be able to see a thing." Said Mr Hiroshi, one of the facilitators. "Just hope that they both are together. And safe. We'll hold the search party tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

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Now they we're worse than they started. They reached a riverbank. "Wait, we didn't even saw a river just now, so it was right, straig-"

"Shut the hell up already! I. Will. Not. Walk another step! Now we're even more lost! _And _it's starting to get dark!" Rukia said.

"Okay so we'll camp here for the night and _try _to find our way back. I'm so relieved that I brought this damn tent and my backpack when you dragged me," He threw her the tent. She caught it in surprise. "You set up that tent while I get some firewood."

"But I don't know how am I supposed to set this up!"

"So read the instructions, baka!"

"I am not a-" She stopped since he had left her. "Baka Ichigo," She tried to set it up, but she got confused. So, she read the instructions and got even more puzzled than before. She threw her arms up and yelled, "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!" Just then Ichigo came with an arm full of wood.

"Didn't I tell you to set that up?" He glared at her

"Yeah, it was hard and the instructions gave me a headache."

_I'm getting a headache taking care of you,_ he murmured to himself

"I have to do everything here!" He rummaged his backpack "What's this? First aid kit? Dad must've put this in here. AH! Found it!" He threw her a box of matches. "Light up the fire okay?" And he started to set up the tent.

_What's this? Safety matches. Wind-proof and water-proof. If this is what humans use to light up a fire then how do they put it out? _Rukia slide it open. _Sticks? Small tiny sticks? How can I light a fire with these?_

'Friction will cause heat. To get friction, rub to sticks together,' she remembered what Ms Mayuki taught her about friction two weeks ago. "So, I rub this tiny sticks together?" she said to herself.

Rukia started to rub those matches together and ended up snapping almost all of the matches. She gave up and asked Ichigo.

"Ichigo, how do you use this?" Ichigo stopped setting the tent and looked up. "Please say this is an awful joke!" He was really frustrated. Her expression told that it wasn't a joke.

"GAH! Stupid baka Rukia! Can't even light up a damn fire!" He said that loudly while lighting the bonfire.

"I. Am. Not a BAKA!" She hit him on the head. "If you're not then why can't you even light up a damn friggin' fire?" Then he continued setting the tent. She just glared at him in silence.

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At last, the tent was set up and the fire was burning beautifully. Rukia and Ichigo was sitting, Indian-style around the fire, warming themselves up.

"Sorry," Rukia said suddenly, breaking the deafening silence.

"Huh?"

"Sorry that I couldn't help."

"It's okay. If I didn't do it we'll be shivering and sleeping in the dust. Thank Kami-sama that I lost in that Rock, Paper, Scissors game with Keigo. If not we'll-" Suddenly he thought of something.

"Wait! Keigo took your tent! That means, that m-means we're g-gonna, gonna s-s-" He stuttered.

"Sleep in the same tent. So?" Her face was completely innocent.

"Aren't you embarrassed to be sleeping with a _guy_?" His cheeks were burning and it's not because of the fire.

She remembered about her life in Rukongai. "No."

"Then I'll sleep outside you can sleep in the tent."

"No way! You build this tent you have the right to sleep in it! I should be the one sleeping outside."

"What if there are animals like snakes or hedgehogs?"

"Exactly. You can't sleep outside."

He did anyway. But around 11.30 p.m., he went in because of the rain. Inside, he can't sleep. _How can you sleep peacefully and I can't? _He twisted and turned. In the end sleep overtook him.

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Okay chapter five is now DONE! My exams are now done so I can write a lot of chapters! YAY!

So what do you think? Was it length okay? The story? I hope there's no OOCness…. Not like my 4th chapter…

Drop a review and you will make me very, very happy. D


	6. Fruits and Fevers

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite

A/N: Thanks to **_cherrygirl6 _**for giving me the idea of making Rukia sick as a shini- uhh… I mean dog. ON WITH THE STORY!

**Fruits!**

She opened her azure eyes, a bit startled too see Ichigo's sleeping face opposite her. Rukia noticed that he was smiling.

She said softly, "Ichigo, you really should smile more. You look really cu-" She stopped. _What am I saying? Ichigo is just a friend! Nothing more. Maybe a splash of cold water will help you get back to your senses._

She tried to get up, but instead she noticed that Ichigo's arms were wrapped around her waist tightly. She went red in the face. "Ichigo! Wake up!"

He opened his eyes slowly. "RUKIA! Why are you in my bed! Get back to your closet!" He let go of his embrace.

She looked confused. "Rukia, have you gone stupid? I told you to get back to your closet!" She whacked him at the back of his neck. "It's you who has gone stupid! There's no closet in this tent!"

"Tent?"

"We got lost yesterday, remember?"

He sat up and looked around. True enough, they were in a tent. "Oh yeah…" Now it was Ichigo's turn to look confused. "Anyway you didn't have to hit me!"

"Hmmph! Well, I'm going to go to the river."

At the riverbank, Rukia smiled. _Ichigo hugged me!_ She slapped the forehead_ Ack! What am I saying? Really, I hope this water is cold. Very cold _She splashed her face with the cooling river water.

"Rukia,"

_SPLASH!_

Rukia was so surprised she accidentally jumped in the river. "ACK Ichigo! Help!" Ichigo went in the water and pulled her roughly. "Oi, Rukia, you know this water is not even waist deep?" She looked down. Sure enough, she was standing steadily, Ichigo holding on to her arm.

"W-well you… you pushed me!"

"Did not! I just called you!"

"W-well you s-startled me!" Her teeth were chattering from the cold.

"You're wet. You should change your clothes."

She left, shivering from the surprise bath she just took. Ichigo followed, chuckling. "Don't laugh at me, you a-a-achoo!"

"You're getting cold, go and change your clothes"

Teeth still chattering, she went in the tent to change. Later she went out wearing a pink dress that went down to her knee.

"You are wearing a _dress_?"

"Yeah, so? It's not like you're gonna buy me some clothes. So I had to some take from Yuzu"

"If you want to take some of my sister's clothing at least take some of Karin's. She won't wear a dress."

"What's wrong with wearing a dress?"

"You can't wear a dress in the forest!"

"Well why not?"

"Because, because…"

"Because?"

"What if the dress gets stuck with a low branch or something?"

"You're too picky!"

Ichigo hmmph-ed and went into the tent. "RUKIA!"

"What?"

"The tent is wet! You made it wet so you will clean it!"

"It wasn't entirely my fault! You scared me at the river."

He ignored of her protests and threw her the shirt he wore yesterday. "EWW!"

"Shut up and help me clean!"

They spent the whole morning cleaning the wet tent. Somewhere around 12:30 p.m., Rukia grumbled, "I'm hungry."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know, go and catch a fish or something?"

"Oh and I suppose that I'm gonna use my Zanpakutou and spear the fish, eh?" he said sarcastically. She said nothing but merely went to the tent and rummaged in her bag. She came out with a red glove with a skull on it.

"Wha- RUKIA! I was being sarcas-" She pushed his soul out. "Okay so now you can catch some fish while I gather some fruits or something." She smiled and left. Then she stopped. "Oh and you better catch some fish, or else…"

"I really should not open my big mouth!" he grunted and went to the river.

He tried to spear the fish but he failed miserably. "Stupid fish!" He got frustrated and stabbed the water continuously and fiercely. Until…

"AHA! I got a fish, at last!" He caught it purely by accident. Plus, the fish he caught was a big one too. "Let's see what Rukia thinks of my fishing skills now." He grins. When he got back to the campsite, he noticed that Rukia is still wasn't there. "Better light up a fire while I wait." So, Ichigo went back to his body. He was glad that no animal harmed his body while he was gone.

He searched his bag for the matches but he could only find a box of empty ones. "Baka Rukia snapping all of them" So he searched her bag and found a chibi Chappy doll. "Whaa? Rukia is crazy about these stupid rabbits" He rummaged through it some more and at last he found a box.

Right after he it up a fire, Rukia came back with an armful of yellow and purple oblong-shaped 'fruits' "Look at how much I gathered! I've a lot more behind those tress. I'll go fetch them." She took _a lot more_ fruits and at last she said "Well that's the last of 'em. Oh wow. You caught a fish. I thought that your fishing skills were lame. Guess I was wrong."

"What do you mean 'oh wow?' Be more happy I actually caug -wait- if you thought my fishing skills were lame then why did you asked me to catch some fishes anyway?"

"Just to bug you, I thought you couldn't do it but you did." She grins

"You…" Ichigo stared at the 'fruits' that she brought. "Are these even edible?" He took one and observed it "They look sorta…well, poisonous to me"

"If you don't wanna eat it, don't. I will anyway." She took a bite from the fruit. "It tastes yummy, you know. Sure you won't eat some?" she offered him some of it.

"Uh… no thanks I prefer to know what my food is first, then I'll eat it. Think I'll just eat the fish."

"Suit yourself. More for me!"

"I don't think you should eat that…"

"Buh it taeshs naish!" She said with her mouth full.

"You'll get sick you know. And if you do, I won't take care of you."

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"Any luck Mr Hiroshi?" Ms Mayuki asks the camp facilitator.

"I'm sorry. We didn't find them. I think that we need your students help for this we don't have enough facilitators."

"But they came here to enjoy themselves."

"If we aren't here there couldn't be any activities anyway. So will you let them help us?"

Ms. Mayuki agreed.

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That night Rukia couldn't sleep her head hurts and she felt a bit queasy. "Ichigo," she said weakly. "I don't feel so good. I feel like my head is going to burst. And I think I got a stomach-ache."

Ichigo sat up immediately. Rukia really didn't look good. Her skin was paler than usual and actually, it was sort of _green_. He felt her forehead. She was burning. "Rukia, I think you have a fever." She said nothing but merely just laid down.

Ichigo went to the river and soaked his towel. "We're lucky that we got lost near a river." She didn't protest when he put the damp towel on her forehead. She rested her dizzy head on Ichigo's lap. Rukia was breathing heavily.

After Rukia was sleeping, Ichigo searched for the first aid kit. "There _must _be something in here that's like a fever medicine. Is this it?" He looked at a bottle filled with red coloured liquid. _Biople fever medicine "_Got it!"

"Rukia, Rukia wake up. You have to eat this" She opened her eyes slowly and she saw Ichigo. His eyes are filled with worry. She clutched on Ichigo's dark blue shirt and leaned her head into his chest. "Rukia… come on you have to eat this or else you won't feel better…" He said softly. She ate the medicine. It tasted awful but swallowed it forcefully.

"Better? You can sleep now." He comforted her and gave her the Chappy doll he found earlier.

"Ichigo…" He came closer to her. "Thank you." And with that, she smiled and slept.

"Baka, I told you not to eat that fruit," He smiled. He tried to stay up all night taking care of Rukia but in the end sleep overtook him.

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The next morning, Ms Mayuki announced, "I've some good news…"

"YAY!" cried the students

"…and some bad news"

"AWW…" groaned the students.

"Okay since we're not actually doing anything here, we're gonna go out to the forest today…"

"YAY!" cried the students

"… to search for Kurosaki and Kuchiki" said Ms Mayuki

"AWW!" groaned the students.

"… but there _will_ be some fun…" said Ms Mayuki

"YAY!" cried the students

"…after we find them" said Ms Mayuki

"AWW!" groaned the students.

"So come on everyone, lets go out to the forest!" she said enthusiastically

"YAY!" cried the students

"… to search for Kurosaki and Kuchiki" said Ms Mayuki

"AWW!" groaned the students.

"Right! I'm gonna pair you up. Girl-guy since that will be at least a bit safer. We're gonna come back right here at…" Ms Mayuki glanced at her watch "… 2:30 p.m."

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Rukia woke up first. She was feeling much better. "Baka, I thought you wouldn't take care of me." She smiled "But I'm glad that you did"

She saw the fruits that she brought yesterday. She took one and tossed it somewhere. _SPLAT._ The fruit smashed on a tree nearby. "HAH! That'll teach you to make _me _sick!" She took another one and threw it somewhere else. "This is getting fun," She took another and let it fly.

Ichigo woke up hearing splats outside the tent. "What the-" He went out to investigate. And _splat _the yellow and purple fruit hit him right in the face. Ichigo wiped it off "Rukia!" Rukia laughed but her laughter didn't last long as Ichigo chucked one at her. "So its war!"

Since Rukia gathered quite a lot last night the fruit war lasted for quite sometime. In the end, both of them were very sticky and well, fruity. The both laughed at the sight of each other.

"I'm going to the river to wash up." Rukia said.

"Mmm fine," Ichigo was wiping some of those sticky fruit stains off his face.

_I'm glad Ichigo took care of me yesterday… _Rukia washed her face with the fresh river water until suddenly…

"Waaaaa!" _SPLASH! _Ichigo pushed her to the river. He laughed loudly at her.

"You baka… " she splashed him with the water. "Oi! You're gonna get me wet!"

"You got _me _wet!" Rukia splashed more water on him.

"You are going to get it now…" He smiled evilly. Rukia tried to run to the deeper side of the water but Ichigo had a firm hold on her arm "Haha! Gotcha!"

She yelped as he splashed water on her. And so begins a water war. In the end they both are feeling equally tired and decided to just relax in the cool, clear water.

"Looks like you're feeling better." He said, breaking the silence.

"Em… thanks to you," She smiled softly at him.

"I'm going out. Damn, this water is cold."

"Eh Ichigo wait!"

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This chapter is a bit weird, isn't it?. Random things kept getting to my mind and well, I was having writer's block so… why not use those (weird) plots? GAAAH I keep on having writer's block… maybe I'm more of a oneshot gal than this multi fic thing…

Yea.. another not so very funny one isn't it? Anyway pleeeeaaaasssseeee review –makes very cute puppy dog eyes- Review… :3


	7. Orchid Juice

Disclaimer: Kubo Tite owns Bleach.

**Orchid Juice**

When Rukia wanted to go in the tent, Ichigo pulled her.

"Hey! It's freezing out here!"

"You're not getting in there and making the tent wet again."

"Fine! I'll just go in get our towels and dry ourselves up outside before changing." Rukia went in and grabbed her dry towel and Ichigo's sort of damp towel.

She gave him _her _towel. "Oi, this isn't mine!" he looked at the Chappy towel.

"Yours was damp."

"And… you're gonna use mine?"

"Yes because you soaked your towel yesterday night to cool me down from the fee fee-something… So um it's kinda like a thanks"

"Fever. And you don't have to do that you know. Now give me back my towel!" He grabbed it from her and threw her the Chappy towel. She didn't catch it so it fell down to the mud.

"ICHIGO! MY TOWEL IS DIRTY NOW!"

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"Ishida-kun, I heard Kuchiki-san!" Orihime jumped up and down excitedly. She kept pulling his arm to her left.

"Really? Where?"

"I heard it from over there!" she pointed to their left, which was the exact opposite from where Ichigo and Rukia really are. "I heard Kuchiki-san screamed," Orihime made a shrill voice, "'Ichigo! My towel is dirty now'"

"First name basis now are they? Even when they just got lost for… let's see… two days."

"Maybe they fell in love with each other after getting lost together! That is sooo romantic!" Orihime squealed.

"Kurosaki and Kuchiki? No way… If they're together, all they make is noise." adjusted his glasses.

"They could change after spending two whole days with each other,"

Ishida just nodded considering he did not hear what Orihime had just said. They started walking together, getting further and further from Ichigo and Rukia.

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"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Ichigo yelled. Rukia was continuously beating him with her dirty towel. After all that running and chasing they both were dry enough to go in the tent anyway. But Rukia was still very angry with Ichigo since the towel was her favourite. (_Anything_ that has Chappys on it are her favourite things)

"Rukia… I'm sor-" she turned her back towards him. " Okay, If you're gonna act like you don't care, then I won't say it!" He yelled at her.

She said nothing. "Well then I won't say anything!" Ichigo left the tent. "I try to be nice and she ignores me!"

_And to think he was so nice to me yesterday… Damn you Ichigo! You're such a baka! _She fiddled with her chibi Chappy doll. After a few minutes in the humid tent, she finally went out. Rukia noticed that Ichigo wasn't anywhere to be seen. _Who cares about you, Ichigo! It's more peaceful here since you're gone. _She trudged down to the river to try to scrub the mud stains of her towel. Then after she hanged it to dry, the raven-haired girl went back to the river to try to relax. Minutes later, she saw Ichigo coming down to the river. Rukia quickly went out; she was still _very_ irritated with him.

She grabbed her towel, only to notice that it was still damp. "AAH! I'm freezing out here and my towel is still _DAMP?"_

"Rukia, here…" Ichigo placed his now dry towel on her shoulder. She turned her head. "You're still not forgiven for this." Rukia glared at him and stuck her tongue. Ichigo just grinned "Baka," he said quietly. "I. Am. Not. A. BAKA!" she yelled from inside of the tent.

In the tent, Rukia dried herself furiously. Then she noticed something was on her bag in the corner of the tent. It was some stalks of purple orchids, tied together with a vine. Near the flowers was a note scribbled in a messy writing that looked like Ichigo's:

_Rukia,_

_Please accept these flowers and I'm sorry that I messed up your Chappy towel this morning._

_Forgive me?_

_Ichigo_

She smelled the orchids and smiled. The aroma was heavenly. She went out of the tentand saw Ichigo sitting near the riverbank resting his head on his knees. She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. " Yeah Ichigo you're forgiven." And she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed.

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"Inoue-san are you sure this is the right way? I can't hear any voice of Kuchiki-san's or Kurosaki's." Asked Ishida. "And I'm pretty sure that if they're together, the loudness level is unbearable."

"Of course I'm sure! I heard it!" "It's now 1:50 p.m. I think we should head back to the campsite."

"No! Come on Ishida-kun I heard it. It was very near…" Orihime pouted. Ishida's face redden thinking that Orihime's pout made her look cuter than she already is.

"Okay. But when it's 2 p.m. we should head back okay?" he adjusted his glasses

"Yay! Ishida-kun you're the best!" She hugged him "Oh. Er… " He blushed again. When she let go of him, he tried to control his blush, but failed miserably. Instead he adjusted his glasses _again_

"Ishida-kun, look! What a unique fruit! It's got two colours!" Orihime picked up the fruit that made Rukia sick last night. "I think Miss Mayuki would be fascinated seeing this." She kept it in her front pocket of her jeans.

"Uh…that fruit looked poisonous. I don't think you should keep that in there."

"Ishida-kun, you worry too much!" She smiled sweetly at the Quincy and led the way 'towards' Ichigo and Rukia

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Looks like you got my note," Ichigo said, after finally controlling the blush.

"The flowers were beautiful."

"Yeah," Ichigo gazed at Rukia "They were."

"Um… I'm going back to the tent," Ichigo said after realizing he was staring at Rukia for sometime. She noticed it but she didn't mind. He stood up and brushed his green t-shirt and pants. "No, don't." Rukia said, holding on to his hand. "Sit. Enjoy the view." She said sternly.

"F-fine." His voice is shaking a little. _Argh! Why is my voice shaking? This is just Rukia! Get a grip! _He scolded himself. Ichigo snapped back to reality after Rukia tugged his hand again. He sat down again beside Rukia.

"I didn't notice the river could be so peaceful." Rukia closed her beautiful azure eyes and hugged her knees.

"It's peaceful alright. Anywhere could be peaceful if you didn't scream so much." He teased her.

Rukia pinched his arm. "OWW! I was just kidding! You didn't have to pinch me you baka!" She took no notice of his cry; instead she said, "Listen to the sound of the water. It's so calming."

They both said nothing after that. They are just enjoying the river in their own way.

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2:15 p.m.

"Inoue." She turned her head towards the Quincy. "Yes, Ishida-kun?"

"I heard something."

"Was it Kuchiki-san? Or was it Kurosaki-kun?"

"It was more of a grunt. It sounded just like a…" he adjusted his glasses again.

"ISHIDA-KUN RUNNN! A BOAR!"

"Yes! Yes! It sounded exactly like a bo- Waaahhh a BOAR!" It was staring at Ishida and Orihime. They both ran at breakneck speed. The boar was huge with large tusks and seeing that Ishida and Orihime ran, it chased them.

"Ishida-kun! I'm scared! What should we do?"

"Inoue-san! Find a tree with a low branch. We can climb on it!" Orihime's head went left and right to search for such a tree. "There!" Orihime pointed to her right.

"Climb it up! Climb it up! QUICK! It's coming!" He yelled.

They both climbed the tree just in time. Just as Ishida ascends the tree, the boar smashed its face on it. Orihime laughed to see that but her laughter didn't last long because the boar stayed under the tree, staring at Orihime with its small eyes.

"Ishida-kun… it's staring at me, I'm scared."

"What does it want?"

"I don't kn- AAAHHHH" The branch that Orihime was sitting on broke. Luckily, Ishida grabbed her arm just in time. He pulled her and sat her on his lap since the branch he was sitting on was a bit short. The Quincy blushed madly. "Thank you Ishida-kun…" She said shyly, one of her arms are around Ishida's neck while the other is hugging the tree trunk.

"Oh…um yeah." He flushed. "Wait!"

"Ishida-kun, don't yell in my ear."

"Sorry Inoue-san. But I think I know why is the boar waiting and staring at you." He adjusted his glasses.

"Why is it?"

"Maybe it's because of that fruit. There was absolutely nothing chasing us before you picked it up."

"Should I throw it to that boar?"

"Yeah you should."

She fiddled, trying to grab the fruit while holding on to Ishida. At last she got it. Orihime threw the fruit at the boar. It hit the boar's head and it passed out.

"Inoue-san, I think you threw it too hard at it. It fainted." Ishida and Orihime climbed down the tree. Orihime poked the boar using a stick. The boar stayed unconscious.

"Oh! It's already 2:45! Miss Mayuki will be very angry! Ishida-kun, I'm sorry I got us into this mess." She apologised.

"It's okay, Inoue-san" Ishida adjusted his glasses. "We just need to find out where is the campsite. I'll climb this tree again to see for any smoke rising." He started ascending the tree again.

"I-Ishida-kun! T-the boar it's waking up!" Sure enough the boar was gaining consciousness. It stared at Orihime. She started to panic. Then it just ran off with the yellow and purple fruit in its mouth.

"Is everything okay down there?" He asked. His voice was showing a sense of worry.

"Yeah! It ran away with my fruit. Too bad. I wanted to ask Miss Mayuki about it."

" Oh. Okay. Inoue-san! I found some smoke over there. Straight ahead." He pointed to his south. The orange-haired girl turned around to that direction. "Come on Ishida-kun, we can't be late." Right after Ishida came down they both ran to the south.

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"It's getting hot. I'm going to go in for a bit." Rukia breaks the silence. She walks in. "Ichigo! Look you can see the fishes in here."

"Well yea… Of course. How did you think I caught the fish? Ask it to come and join us for dinner?" He said sarcastically.

"Hmmph" The raven-haired girl splashed Ichigo.

"Oi!"

"C'mon it's so _hot_ and you can just _sit_ there?" she splashed him more water.

"Oh! You are so asking for it." He ran toward her and splashed her with more water.

"Aah! Oh look! A fish just swam around my legs. It tickles."

"If that tickles then… What about this!" He tickled her ribs.

"I-I- Ichi… Stop!… Don't! T-that tickles!" She kicked him, accidentally on purpose.

"OW!" He stopped tickling and rubbed his aching thigh. "Sorry," She gave him her cutest look.

"Sorry? I'll give you sorry." He splashed her with more water.

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"Why are you both late?" Ms Mayuki scolded them.

"Well –er– we umm…" Orihime started. Ishida said, "We got lost for a while. But we found our way back." Neither of them want to tell their Science teacher that they got _chased_ by a boar.

"Well how did you manage to find you way back?"

"Ishida-kun climbed a tree to see for any smoke rising."

"That's a great idea! I wish Kurosaki would think of that. Then we would all could be having some fun by now." Ms Mayuki sighed.

"Kurosaki is too dim-witted to think of something like that." Ishida muttered under his breath.

"Ah! We could try to find Kurosaki and Kuchiki using that way!" Miss Mayuki snapped her fingers.

"Usually people will light up a fire at night. And at night time, it will be too dark to see smoke rising."

" Huh… Just hope that Kurosaki and Kuchiki will light up a fire in the daytime. Well, since you two are here, enjoy the food." She pointed to her right. "After you students has eaten your food, I will explain some of the interesting facts about a tree squirrel while waiting for Mr Hiroshi." She announced enthusiastically.

All the students groaned.

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Ichigo has gone up to the tent and changed while Rukia is still trying to catch a fish with her bare hands.

"Ichigo! Give me a plastic bag!" Rukia shouted from outside the tent.

"Why? You want to catch a fish with a _plastic bag_?"

"So? Just give it to me or else I'll come in by myself and make the tent wet again." He sighed and gave her a clear plastic bag. "Thanks!" Rukia skipped back to the river happily.

_She's 150 years old and she still acts like a kid._ Ichigo thought as he dried his damp hair. About five minutes later, Rukia came back with a small fish in the bag. "You actually _caught_ one?" He was surprised.

"Told you I can do it! Think I'm going to keep him. What should I call you…"

"How about 'stupid' cause it's stupid enough to get caught by _you."_

"You…" She kicked his shin. Hard.

"Aah! I can't even make a suggestion without having you to kick me!" She stuck her tongue at him.

"I know I'll call you 'Fishy'"

"Oh how _original_" Ichigo remarked sarcastically.

"Oh okay then I'll call you… 'Orange strawberry.'"

"That's a weird name for a fish."

"Are you just saying that because I'm naming it after you?"

"No. It _is _a weird name for a fish. Orange Strawberry sounds like a type of jui-."

"Aaa! I'll call it…"

"Aw, please don't call it-"

"'Juice!'"

"Damn! You just _had _to call it that!"

"I'm not changing it no matter what you say. I think it sounds cute."

"Huh… Whatever. Don't forget to give it a bit of air." He said but Rukia was already outside carrying the fish around.

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After they had their dinner (Fish, again. Obviously). Ichigo went into the tent. "Rukia! Can I borrow your manga?"

"Hmm…"

He took the manga out of her bag and read it using a torchlight since he could not sleep yet. Rukia was still outside the tent. He guessed she needed some cool fresh night air. After he finished reading the manga, Rukia was still outside.

"Oi! Rukia coming in?"

"No. Not yet…"

"What the heck _are _you doing out here?"

She pointed up.

"Huh?"

She patted on the spot beside where she sat and looked at Ichigo, telling him to sit beside him. "Ichigo, look at the stars up in the sky. They're so pretty. And the moon is so bright today."

"Hmm, yeah. They are pretty." He said after sitting down next to her.

"Why can't I see stars in Karakura? Even when I'm outside at night?"

"I guess it's 'cause of all the brightness in the city."

"It's beautiful." Ichigo and Rukia spent several minutes stargazing, when Rukia felt his fingers closing in on her small ones. She looked at him. Ichigo was still looking up in the sky; he was blushing a little bit. Rukia smiled and held on to his hands a bit tighter.

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Chapter 6 done! Yay! Was it okay? Please tell me…

Please, Please, **PLEASE REVIEW** :3


	8. Secret Place

Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach

Author's notes: A big thanks and hugs to **cherrygirl6** who gave me the idea to make Orihime and Ishida lost. And to **ichigoxrukia **about the idea about Ichigo and Rukia to… ahh you'll see…

**Secret Place**

The next morning, Ms Mayuki was being very anxious. It was the last day of camp and Ichigo and Rukia are still missing. "Students, I'm going out of the forest to call all of you parents that we have extended our camping time. We'll be here another two days." Everybody groaned. Not one student wants to stay in this camping trip for even another day. "I don't want to get the police involved."

"Why not? It'll be easier that they can search for those two." Complained a very fractious student.

"If the police is involved, there are police reports to make, families to comfort, our school's name might be d-"

"Can't we go back first? My leg is all cramped up from all of the walking and hiking and stuff." Keigo cut her off.

"If Kurosaki's father or Kuchiki's parents found out that _you _are back… They will start go get worried, and the police will be involved, etcetera etcetera…" All the students groaned. "I'll be going now." She hopped on one of the facilitator's van. Suddenly the van stopped and Ms Mayuki's head popped out of the window. "Before I forget, Yatsutora and Ishida, check for any signs of smoke anywhere. Okay thanks!" The van continued to move.

After she left, everyone grumbled to one another noisily.

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"A-a-achoo!" Ichigo woke up first on that day, freezing and wondering where could his warm, thick blanket be? His question was answered not long after that. Rukia took both blankets. His and hers. The sleeping bags were no use; they were too thin. First he decided not to wake her up. She looked so cute sleeping, cuddling her white Chappy doll. But then the cold brought him back to his senses. His I-don't-care-how-cute-you-are-as-long-as-I-get-my-blanket-back senses. He reached for hisblanket.

Ichigo had a good 1-minute sleep that is until Rukia woke up and snatched it back. Ichigo woke up a few moments later. "Rukia! I want _my _blanket back! I'm not done sleeping! Besides, it's freezing today." He seized it back.

"Give it! I'll catch a cold! One isn't enough for me!" She took the blanket back from him, covered her head with it and held on to it tightly. A blanket tug-of-war began. In the end Rukia won. She kept on hitting him until he let go. "Dammit Rukia!"

He tried to take it back from her but Rukia tightened her grip on it. "Oi! I'm cold too you know! What am I supposed to use?" He heard her mutter something about using running around or something like that. "What!? Are you crazy!? That won't keep me warm! It'll just make me tired!"

"Who cares? As long as I'm warm, I'm happy."

"Idiot…" He said. Rukia threw Karin's manga at him. He left it near her sleeping bag. She stuck her tongue at him and continued to sleep.

Ichigo threw his arms up. He gives up and went out if the tent. Then the tall teenager lit a fire to keep him warm while cursing.

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Later, Ms Mayuki came back. Her face was expressionless.

"Sensei, I see some smoke." Chad said high up a tree. Ishida was already on the ground.

"Really?!" Ms Mayuki's face brightened up. She was really stressed out. "Lemme see!" She climbed up the tree to see it for herself.

She squinted her eyes. "What! It's so far! How can you see _that_!?" she said to Chad who was holding on to the tree so that he won't fall. "Well we better get going!" She climbed down quickly. Chad followed after her slowly and carefully.

Ms Mayuki clapped her hands to get the students' attention. She said enthusiastically, "Okay! Sado had just spotted some smoke rising from waaay over there," she pointed toward the direction. Students turned their heads. "So I need some students to stay here and keep the fire burning. I don't want us to get lost either." Some students giggled. "This is serious business. Okay I will call out the names to follow me later on, okay?"

Ms Mayuki went off to check the name list to choose some 'lucky' students to come with her and Mr Hiroshi.

_Arisawa Tatsuki… Yeah I'll take her and leave Chizuru. I have _got_ to separate them! Arisawa--- Check! _

_Asano Keigo… Maybe I should leave this one here. He's too noisy and complain-y._

_Chizuru… leaving this girl._

_Inoue Orihime… If I leave her here, she'll raid the camp kitchen _again_. Okay Inoue --- check._

_Ishida Uryuu… I will bring him. He can climb trees very quickly. Ishida--- check_

_Yatsutora Sado… Yeah taking him. He too can climb trees quickly. They both can check the smoke. Yatsutora --- check._

Here she checks on other students' names. (A/N: I'm so lazy…) "Right I've chose the students. The students who are following me and Mr Hiroshi are Arisawa Tatsuki…"

"Rats! I was hoping _not_ to go!" She grumbled to herself. Chizuru caught her eye. The red haired girl had a 'ha-ha-you-are-so-unlucky' expression in her face. Tatsuki glared at her.

"…Inoue Orihime…"

"Yay! I can explore the jungle with Tatsuki-chan!" She jumped once and linked arms with her best friend. Now Chizuru was quietly chanting 'pleasesayicango'. Chizuru was looking hopeful.

Ms Mayuki glanced at the mumbling Chizuru. She cleared her throat and said, "…Ishida Uryuu…"

Chizuru snapped her fingers and shot a glare at Ishida. Ishida said nothing even though he was secretly pleased that Orihime was coming too.

"…Yasutora Sado…" Chad as usual, said nothing. Ms Mayuki continued with the names. Chizuru glared at every person whose name was called.

Later, after she was done calling out the names, she said to Mr Hiroshi, "Maybe we should bring some stuffs just in case." The camp facilitator agreed. Chizuru however, was asking Ms Mayuki to bring her along. Heck, she practically _begged_ her to do it but resistance was futile.

Mr. Hiroshi led the first group, (The students who was ready to go) which consists of Chad and Orihime who was trying to persuade Tatsuki to go first, and two students who were plainly bored sitting around the campsite. The second group (The people who are lazy to go which include nine students) was waiting for Ms Mayuki who was trying to get Chizuru off her right leg.

At last, Ms Mayuki finally got the red-haired bespectacled girl to stay. She led the eight complaining students (Ishida was, as usual quiet and calm.) to the forest. It took them about fifteen minutes to catch up with the first group.

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Rukia finally woke up. She stretched and greeted her beloved Chappy doll and her fish, Juice a very cheery 'good morning'. "Looks like you need some air." She said to Juice. At night, Rukia just left the fish a small hole, but now, she thought that it might need more than that. Rukia opened the bag and left it the corner. She went out of the tent holding her white chibi Chappy doll.

Ichigo saw her coming out. He stood up and trudged into the tent. He was still a bit irritated about the whole blanket thing. He looked through one of Rukia's bag for a manga; at last he found one that he liked. It took him about ten minutes to find one. She brought _a lot _of them.

Rukia was near the fire, silently talking to her Chappy. "Ichigo couldn't be that angry at me. Could him?" she asked silently to Chappy. Rukia pressed the doll's stomach with her thumb. _Squeak… _"I think I should apologise to him. At least he was nice enough not to put out this for when he went in." she smiled at her rabbit doll. "Right, Chappy?" Before Rukia went in, she put out the fire just in case it's going to take a long time apologising. She didn't want any firewood to be wasted.

She went in to find Ichigo was sitting in the corner and was reading one of her favourite manga.

"Ichigo!" He looked up. "What?" he barked back.

"Who gave you permission to read _my _manga?" Her hands were on her hips.

"I don't need permissions. This is not even yours. It's Karin's. Since she's my sister, I got the right to read this."

"Well _I_ borrowed it and brought it here so now I consider it as mine."

"You mean _stole_ it?"

"Give it BACK!" she reached out for it.

He stood up right away and held the manga in high up his hands, making sure that Rukia wasn't able to reach it. It was an easy task considering the difference of their height. Good thing the camp was as tall as it was wide. "No way… I'm not done reading it yet." He teased her.

"ICHIGO!" She tried to punch him. He evaded and accidentally stepped on the bag, which contained Juice. The water spilled out and Juice was flipping and flopping on the damp tent floor.

"Juice!" She tried to put her fish in the bag. But the bag had burst when Ichigo stepped on it. "Ichigo! This is all your fault!" He just stood there, dumbfounded "Don't just stand there! Get me a plastic bag or a container or, or _something_!" He look through their bags as Rukia desperately tried to catch the slippery fish. He found nothing and Rukia was still fiddling with Juice.

"Ichigo! You are _hopeless_! Try to catch the fish while I get a container!"

They changed duties. In a matter of moments, he caught it and put the dying fish in his palms. She still hasn't found a container yet. "I got your stupid, slippery fish!" he said. She kicked him and shouted "So put it in the river, baka!" He tried to protest but she tried to punch him if he didn't do it quickly.

He ran to the riverside, she followed closely behind. He put the fish in the water. It took about three seconds to get the fish recovered. Once it did Juice went swimming away.

"Ichigo! My fish!" She yelled. But he couldn't do anything as the fish was already far away.

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"There is no smoke anymore. Only from our campsite." Chad said from high up a tree.

Alarmed, Ms Mayuki ascended the tall tree. She looked around. Her are eyes squinted. "Oh no! What are we going to do now? We've come so far!"

"How about we head back? I think my feet has blisters!" Someone screamed from down below.

"No we must not give up. Maybe, maybe they're just straight ahead." Everybody groaned, even Mr Hiroshi. "We should keep on going!" she said actively.

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"Owww…" Ishida heard Orihime. She was sitting behind a tree trunk, clutching her foot.

"Inoue-san, are you okay?" Ishida's voice showed a sense of concern.

"No, it's okay. I think my feet are hurting because of all the walking we did." She opened her baby blue shoes and rainbow-coloured socks. Her feet were red and swelling a bit and there were some blisters.

"Inoue, you should rest here for a while." She did nothing but nod and smiled. He opened his bag and took out a first aid kit. Ishida took out some medicine and bandage to ease down the swelling.

"Ishida-kun, you don't have to wait here with me."

"It's okay, Inoue-san" She smiled again as he continued to bandage her foot.

There was a long moment of silence excluding Orihime's occasional squealing. But after sometime, Ishida was finally done. He helped her to get up to her feet. "Come on, Inoue-san. We better hurry." He placed her arm around his shoulders as they walked together slowly.

Suddenly, she realized that… "Ishida-kun! Everyone left! We're lost!"

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"Hey Rukia," he touched her shoulder. She ignored him and continued to stare at the riverside, looking very irritable. He tried to apologize. He just couldn't stand to see her sulking. It wasn't very Rukia-ish. And that bothered him. Ichigo ran his left hand through his orange hair and tried to think of some thing to make her less sulky. After a few minutes of thinking, he thought about one place that may cheer her up.

"Rukia, follow me somewhere."

He stood up, trying to pull Rukia from her sitting place. She leaned away from Ichigo, making it harder for him to heave her up. His hand slipped and she fell on her bottom. "OW! You…" she glared at him and sat again at her spot. Now he has to think of a way to make her tag along.

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"Inoue-san, don't panic. All we gotta do is to find the campsite's smoke." Ishida said as he climbed up a tall tree.

Orihime sat down for a while, resting her feet. Suddenly she heard something. The long-haired girl stood up slowly. "Ishida-kun, I heard something."

"Is it _another _boar? If it is, throw something at it, Inoue-san."

"It's like Kuchiki-san's and Kurosaki-kun's voice. They sound like they're fighting. Too bad. I thought they would get along." She pouted. "I think they make _such _a cute couple."

"Really?" He adjusted his glasses.

"You think they will get along too?"

"I mean –umm- are you _sure _that's Kuchiki-san's and Kurosaki's voice?" Ishida climbed down the tree.

"Trust me, Ishida-kun." She smiled sweetly at him. Her smile won him over. He jumped down with a _thud_. She took his hand and slowly walking toward the source of the sound. This time, they are going the right way.

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After several minutes of firm (and annoying) asking, Rukia followed Ichigo. Mainly because she was tired of his invite. Before they left the campsite, Ichigo took a piece of red cloth and started walking. "What's _that_ for?" The raven-haired girl pointed to the cloth in Ichigo's hand. He said with a bit of accusation in his voice, "So that _we_ won't get lost again."

Rukia stopped walking and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't say like it's my fault, you baka." The old less sulky, stubborn Rukia was back. He turned to face her, "Well it is. So there." She crossed her arms and went, "Hmmph." They walked in unison, almost as if they were two front wheels on a car, except the fact that Ichigo's steps were long and dominant, while hers were short and subtle. After sometime, He ripped off a bit from the cloth that he brought and tied it on a tree nearby.

"Actually _where_ are we going?" Rukia shooed off a small black bug from her arm. "You'll see." They walked on in silence. Occasionally, Ichigo ties another bit from the red cloth to a branch.

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"Augh! Ms Mayuki can we just go back to the campsite now?" Tatsuki complained. She was too tired to notice that her best friend was missing. "No. Kurosaki and Kuchiki might be here somewhere."

"Can't we just try again tomorrow?" Another student grumbled. "Look even Mr Hiroshi is looking bushed!" She pointed to the camp facilitator. He was leaning to a big tree, looking very, very tired.

"Oh alright!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Someone climb up a tree to check for smoke." Everyone gave a sigh of relief. As usual, Chad climbed up and he pointed to their south. Everybody walked slowly, grumbling and complaining.

"After this trip, I'll _never_ go camping again."

"Same here."

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"Are we there yet?" Rukia asked for the eleventh time. She was getting impatient and a teensy bit curious. And going around in the forest didn't help.

"There're lots of shrubs here so we must've getting near. Would it kill you to wait?"

"No. But _you_ will if you don't stop dragging me around in circles."

He ignored her and kept on going. They continued to walk in silence. That is until…"Eh, Ichigo. Wait!" Rukia tugged at the hem of her dress. "I'm stuck." He turned to face her. "See, I told you it was stupid to wear a dress in a forest." She glared at him. "Just shut up and help me." She continued to tug at it.

"Say 'please'." His face let out a playful boyish grin.

"Ichigo!"

"Okaay, if you're not gonna say it…I'm gonna leave you here."

"_Please_!" She said forcefully through clenched teeth, not meaning it at all.

"Good." He bent down. A branch from a shrub was hooked on Rukia's light purple dress. And from all of that tugging and pulling she did, her dress twisted around the branch. After he unhooked the branch, he quickly stood up. And since Rukia was pulling, she fell flat on her back. Her foot connected with his knee and made Ichigo fell on top of her.

Rukia had just noticed Ichigo was on top of her. She blushed so much that her face was the colour of a ripe strawberry but she continues to stare at Ichigo. "…" Ichigo opened his mouth and closed it again. He had just noticed that he was on top of her. "R-Rukia…" Both hearts started to beat faster.

He leaned in towards Rukia; he did not become aware of his movements like he was hypnotized. Rukia start to close her eyes not noticing her movements either…

_Caw! Caw!_

The screech of a bird nearby brought them back to their senses. He quickly got off her. "Sorry." She said.

"Idiot," Ichigo muttered. He couldn't see her blush. She couldn't see his. "Well, we'd better be going."

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Orihime was sitting down, leaning against a tree, and resting her sore feet. Ishida was sitting nearby, accompanying her. Suddenly Orihime stood up quickly "Oh! Kuchiki-san's voice is getting distant.". Her face was scrunched up because of the shot of pain that flew through her nerves as she moved.

"Inoue-san, are you okay?" Worry was illustrated in his eyes. "You should not make sudden movements like that."

"I'm sorry, Ishida-kun." Her head was bent down, trying to reduce the pain. "But I can't hear Kuchiki-san's voice anymore. It was from there," The orange-haired girl pointed to her left. "And now I can't hear anything. We should go, Ishida-kun."

Ishida nodded and adjusted his glasses. "But we must go slowly, otherwise your foot will hurt again." He helped her up and they both went off slowly.

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This chapter was a bit umm weird. Sorry! Anyway, please please review


	9. Lost and Found

Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach. Oh! And the plot belongs to **ichigoxrukia**. So, it's not mine either.

A/N: Sorry that I posted the same chapter last time. I thought that I just should edit it after I finished this chapter so…there. Enjoy!

**Lost and Found**

Tatsuki was sure that something was missing when she was walking back to the camping grounds. Something…but she wasn't sure what was it. And she kept thinking about ramen with mashed hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter and jelly, bean paste and wasabi in it and topped with some cherries. _Must be tiredness._ She thought.

When the search party (parties?) was back to the camping site, the first thing they heard was Chizuru screeching, "My lovely flower is home!!" That hit Tatsuki. Orihime wasn't there. "Orihime?" Tatsuki said, looking left and right for her best friend. "Orihime, where are you?"

"What?! My beautiful 'Hime isn't here? What did you do to her? You abandoned her in the forest didn't you?" Chizuru attacked her with her very silly questions. Tatsuki didn't have the chance to reply when she said triumphantly, "We_ must _go find her!!"

That was one of the very, very few things that Tatsuki agreed with Chizuru. Both stalked out of the camping grounds. Tatsuki walked like about ten metres when she turned around to head back to the camping site again.

"Where are you going?!" Chizuru yelled at her.

"Too tired." This was one of the first times that Tatsuki didn't yell back at the redheaded girl. And she walked back slowly to the camping grounds.

"What about 'Hime?" Chizuru walked back to Tatsuki. The black-haired tomboy waved her hands up and down, obviously tired from walking and searching for the two missing students. The tomboy was too tired to think about searching for anyone at all. Even if it's her best friend.

"But, but, Hime…" Chizuru pointed to the forest. They were back in the camping grounds. Chizuru following Tatsuki like a puppy, to persuade her to search for Orihime together "No." was the simple reply from Tatsuki. "If you're not going to, I will." The bespectacled girl said triumphantly.

"Where are you going?" Chizuru felt someone was grabbing her shoulder. She looked up. It was Mr Hiroshi. "Hmm?"

"Hime…out there. Must help." She said, struggling to get out of Mr Hiroshi's grasp.

The camp facilitator sighed. "Two missing students are enough."

"But there's three students out there. My beautiful one is out there!!" No one noticed that Ishida was missing too.

"Mmhm." He thought she was just trying to explore the forest on her own.

Chizuru started objecting/yelling/struggling at Mr Hiroshi who then kept an eye over her because she kept on trying to get out of the camping site.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Here," Ichigo said as he showed Rukia secret place he mentioned earlier.

There was a waterfall on the right gushing majestically at their right. A rainbow appeared there at the waterfall. Near the riverbank there were grass that wasn't too long nor to short, suitable for sitting down and enjoying the cool river water. Small ripples formed as the fishes came swimming near the water surface.

Bushes flowering multi-coloured flowers were on their left. Rukia noticed that there were some of those purple orchids that Ichigo gave to her a few days ago. Rukia saw some colourful butterflies fluttering by. Birds were up on the tall branches of trees, singing and chirping happily. To put it simple, this was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. Around the perimeter of the place were thorny bushes and big tall trees, hiding the place from usual campers. It was like their own secret place.

"It's beautiful." Rukia looked at Ichigo and smiled at him. Not her usual smirk that she usually gave him or that fake classroom smile. It was a true, real smile. He smiled back at her.

If she is happy, he is too.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Um, Inoue-san, are you sure that we're going the right way? Because I think we've been going round and round the same place." Ishida said. He shooed off a bug that had been flying around him for sometime.

"Yeah. I'm sure." She flashed him an encouraging smile.

Ishida was still a bit uneasy. "But all I can hear is the sound of a river. Or a waterfall. Or both." He adjusted his glasses.

"Don't worry Ishida. I- Aa!" Orihime tripped over a rock but luckily Ishida caught her in time. "T-thank you Ishida-kun," Orihime said. The bespectacled boy put her down leaning on a tree.

"Ow!" Orihime clutched her foot that was bandaged.

"Inoue-san! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ishida-kun."

"Really? Just let me check your foot, just in case." Orihime took off her shoes. Her bandage which was previously beige, was now crimson red. "Inoue-san, I think that your wounds have opened, when you fell just now. I'll just put on some antiseptic and re-bandage your foot." He took out his first aid kit that Miss Mayuki gave to him from his bag.

_Ishida-kun is being so nice to me. Maybe he… lik... Nah, he wouldn't, would he? _Orihime looked at Ishida. The long-haired girl yelped a bit when Ishida dabbed on the antiseptic.

"Are you okay?"

Orihime nodded. _I should be repay his kindness back to him too. What can I do?_ Ishida started wrapping her foot with the bandage. _Oh! I know!_

"Ah!"

"Is it too tight, Inoue-san?"

"Oh no! It's just nice. I'm just wondering if umm… are you hungry, Ishida-kun?" She didn't give him a chance to reply when she rummaged in her light brown bag. She took out a small container. "I made this in the camp kitchen before we left." She offered him a sandwich. "It's peanut butter, sugar, strawberry jam and mashed eggs. Oh and my favourite topping in a sandwich, seaweed!"

"Oh…ummm…" Ishida adjusted his glasses again "No thanks Inoue-san."

"Okay then. Are you sure?" She closed the container and put it back in her bag. "I'll save it for Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-kun later. They must be hungry."

"Are you sure you still want to search for them. All I can hear now is the sound of a river, somewhere over there." Ishida pointed to his west.

Orhime smiled and nodded. She stood up and walked slowly to the source of the river. "Maybe we can stop by at the river. And relax there for a moment, I'm getting tired now."

Ishida agreed.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Ichigo sat down near the riverbank and looked over at his special friend. He saw Rukia smelling and picking several flowers. He chuckled. Ichigo never thought that Rukia could be so…girly. She had always been a boy to him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothin'"

"Tell."

"I said, _nothing_."

After a few more failed persuades, Rukia just simply 'hmmph-ed' and gave up persuading him. She sat down by the riverbank beside Ichigo. She leaned back, using both of her hands as support. Both said nothing for sometime. Ichigo dipped his feet into the cool, clear river water.

Rukia closed her eyes. She listens to the music of nature. She heard the crickets chirping and the birds singing. She heard the waterfall gushing nearby and the small _splish splash _of the water_­_ when Ichigo splashed his feet in it. Rukia felt a soft cool breeze blowing through her black shoulder-length hair.

Rukia leaned her tired but relaxed head on Ichigo's shoulder. He was a bit startled at first but then he was quite enjoying it. She smelled like strawberries and chocolate, which, really isn't that bad.

_Nothing can ruin this perfect moment. _He thought. The soft breeze was blowing through their hair and the cool water was making both more relaxed. _This trip wasn't all that bad after all..._

Eyes still closed, the violet-eyed shinigami said softly, "It's beautiful here."

Ichigo heard her. "Yeah, beautiful like you, Rukia."

Rukia opened her eyes. "What did you say?"

_Did I just say that out loud? _The tall teen felt a blush creep over his face.

"Ichigo! _What_ did you say?"

Ichigo looked away. "Nothing," He mumbled.

"Oi, Ichigo. Tell me." She said persistently.

"_Nothing._"

Rukia will _not_ give up this time. "Tell me what you said, or else I'm gonna push you into the river."

"I told you I said, nothing." He still wasn't looking at her. He wasn't going to give in to her taunts.

Rukia got an idea suddenly. It was like a light bulb had just been lighted in her head. She cupped his face and makes Ichigo look directly into her beautiful violet eyes. "Tell me, Ichigo. What did you say?" She said calmly. This was too calm for his comfort. _Way_ too calm.

"Let go of me will ya?!" He tried to get out from her grasp but she had a firm hold of him.

"Tell me, Ichigo." _My plan's working. Now for part two. _Rukia's face was getting closer to his. She saw him blush up to the roots of his bright orange hair. Ichigo was feeling abit uncomfortable with Rukia's un-Rukia like actions.

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you! Just...just leggo of me!" She did.

"So?"

"I said…" He looked away again. "…I said that you…" His voice trailed off to a whisper.

"You said what?"

"I said that you were beautiful, Rukia. " He mumbled softly, but Rukia heard him. She smiled.

"Ichigo, you silly little boy." He always hated the 'little boy' phrase. Especially when _she_ said it. Just like before, she cupped his face and makes Ichigo's chocolate brown eyes look directly into her violet ones. She moved closer to him and repeated, "You silly, silly little boy." Then, Ichigo closed the gap between them and kissed her.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Ishida-kun, there's the waterfall!" She pointed to the one in front of her.

"Careful, Inoue-san, there's lots of thorns here."

"Mm." She nodded. Orihime got through the thorn bushes first with some scratches on her legs.

"Inoue-san, wait up for a second." She looked over to Ishida who was tugging to his white shirt "My shirt is stuck."

"Okay." Orihime looked back to the waterfall. Then, she turned towards the other side of the river, while waiting for Ishida.

She saw Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san. _Kissing._

She blinked. Once. Twice. And rubbed her eyes. No, it wasn't an illusion. She cupped her hands to her face and yelled,

"KUROSAKI-KUUN! KUCHIKI-SAAN!"

Ichigo and Rukia broke apart, surprised.

_Uh-oh. _Both thought simultaneously.

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Finally, someone found them. XD Rukia and Ichigo bit OOC huh? But they're alone so… they're allowed to. (huh?)

Sorry for the late update. Schoolwork is to blame. XD So um finally I finished ch. 9. Well, what do you think?

**Please Review.**


	10. Problem with Sparklers

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Bleach.

**Sparklers**

_Ohmigosh! What is _she _doing here? _Rukia thought. _Did she saw me and Ichigo k-k … _Rukia blushed at that thought. _Please say she didn't, please say she didn't…_

"Kurosaki-kun! Kuchiki-san! How cute!!" Orihime skipped on the rocks in the river, forgetting about the pain in her foot.

_She did saw us! Oh noo… she saw us! Ah! This is so embarrassing! Oh! Why did she have to pop up now!? Why?_

"Kuchiki-san!" Orihime hugged Rukia. "Kuchiki-san! I didn't know that you and Kurosaki-kun are together! Oh! That is just so, so cute! I mean, not just cute! Very, very super duper-ly cute! Ah! Wait till I tell Tatsuki-chan, Chizuru-chan, Asano-kun, Sado-kun…"

"Ahh… Inoue? I need you not to tell _anyone_ about this, okay? Please…" Ichigo cut her off.

Orihime stopped listing names and went, "Ehhh…? Why not, Kurosaki-kun?"

"Just please don't tell anyone."

"Well… okay…"

"Inoue-san!" Ishida had finally gotten himself unstuck. "You should not run like that, your wounds will open and will take longer to heal."

"My wounds? … Oh! My foot! Sorry, Ishida-kun. I guess all this excitement went into my head…" She leaned to a tree and opened her shoe. Just as Ishida said, her wounds opened and the bandage was red, again. Ishida took out his trusty first aid kit and began to re-bandage her foot, yet again.

"Rukia…"Ichigo pulled her towards him and said in a hushed tone "… what are we gonna do? Inoue isn't one of the best secret-keeper, you know."

"I guess we'll just have to trust her. By the way, you think Ishida saw… us too?"

"Dunno. Hope not."

After Ishida was done, he said, "C'mon let's get back to the camp site already…" He put his kit into his bag and he lends a hand to Orihime to help her get up. The bespectacled boy then climbed a tree.

"Oi! Ishida what are you doing?!" Ichigo called out. "Being a monkey?" He snickered at his own joke.

"I am _trying_ to find the camp site's smoke to find the camping grounds…"

Ichigo slapped a hand to his face. "Why didn't I think of that? We could've gotten back to the camp site by now!" _And avoided 'The Awkward Situation.'_ He added to himself. And that was exactly how he said it, like it was capitalized at the beginning of each word.

Ishida heard him. "'Cause you're too dim-witted, Kurosaki…"

He ignored him. Rukia said to Ichigo almost inaudibly, "Eh, Ichigo, we should be packing back all our stuff now." Ichigo heard her, of course. He replied with a simple, "Oh, yeah." He turned to Ishida who was currently descending the tree. "Ishida! Done yet?!"

"Yes." He jumped down and landed swiftly on the ground "Don't be so impatient, Kurosaki. The campsite's over-"

"Rukia and I wanna get back all the camping stuff we left at our place." After he finished the sentence, he realized his mistake and mentally slapped himself.

"'Rukia,' hmm?"

"Ooh…Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san are going to first name basis now! Aah.." And Orihime started to ramble about how cute and adorable they were together etc. etc.

"I meant, Kuchiki-san!" He said hastily as he flails his arms. "_Kuchiki-san_ and I wanna get back all of the camping stuff we left."

Ishida smirked. Orihime squealed.

Rukia glared at Ichigo with a glare that said, 'Good going you idiot! Now Ishida will think there's something between us too!'

He mouthed, "So-ree! Geez."

0oo0oo0oo

Ichigo and Rukia packed. Seeing that there was only _one_ tent, Orihime gasped and yelled, "You two slept together?!" Both said in unison, "No!" which was a total lie. Ichigo and Rukia did not want to meet each other's eyes.

Then, Ichigo climbed up a tree to check for smoke. Said carrot-top didn't want to do it at first, but after loads of blackmailing from Ishida, (to tell _everyone _at the campsite about _him and Rukia._) he at last gave in. And now the four friends are walking towards the location where Ichigo said, to their east.

As they are walking suddenly they heard a stomach grumble. "Man, I'm hungry. We should've eaten before we left." Ichigo grumbled.

"Aha! Kurosaki-kun, you should try my special sandwich!" She rummaged her bag and then took out a container with a lime green cover. "This one's got chocolate ice-cream, tuna, mustard and wasabi! Try some, It's delicious!"

Ichigo, Rukia and Ishida stared at Orihime like she was a hyper, bubbly cook with no tastebuds. Eh, wait she _was_ a hyper, bubbly cook with no tastebuds. Ichigo refused, "Err… no thanks Inoue."

"But you said you were hungry."

Looking at Orihime like that he then asked, "Okay, Inoue. Do you have something err… else?"

Orihime cheered up. "Oh! Yes!" She took another container, this time with a blue lid. "Here you go, Kurosaki-kun! It has peanut butter and jelly…"

Feeling very hungry, Ichigo didn't hear what else she said and ate it up in just three bites. After he had swallowed it, he felt that the taste was a little…odd. It did _not_ taste like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it tasted like…

"Did you like it Kurosaki-kun? Like I said, it's got peanut butter and jelly..." She said cheerily. "…And seaweed and sugar and mashed eggs and strawberry jam and a few other stuff that I can't remember." Orihime tilted her head to her right. Then she smiled "Oh well."

_Oh well?! I am so, so, so going to be sick today. My stomach will be going through hell today._

"Are… you okay Ichigo?" Rukia asked.

"Urr…"

0oo0oo0oo

"My honey came back!" Chizuru yelled and she ran to hug the long haired girl. Hearing Chizuru, Tatsuki turned quickly. "Orihime!" She kicked Chizuru in the face "Oh, no you don't."

"Tatsuki-chan!" She hugged her best friend. "Look who I found!" She pointed at the back of her. Tatsuki saw Ichigo bending down clutching his stomach, groaning. Rukia was beside him giving… supportive words. "C'mon Ichigo! Take it like a man!" and Ishida… Wait, Ishida wasn't here? He was lost too?

"Ichigo! Rukia! Ishida!" She yelled loudly.

Miss Mayuki turned her head towards Tatsuki. She too, saw Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime and Ishida. The teacher gave a shout of happiness. "She found them! Inoue has found Ichigo and Rukia!" Suddenly as if having a surge of energy flow to her body, she started to happily… dance. Singing a song about how Orihime found Ichigo and Rukia. A very, very weird sight

Everyone else heard Miss Mayuki's song and looked at her. Only then, they saw Ichigo and Rukia. Everyone cheered. One, because they didn't have to stay at the campsite anymore. Or to search for the two. Or to sit around doing nothing in camp. Or to… well, actually the campers didn't do much while they were here.

0oo0oo0oo

People are walking about with their own groups of friends. Tatsuki was with Orihime. She asked the ditzy girl about how she found Ichigo and Rukia. Chizuru wasn't there so it was easier to talk to Orihime when Chizuru was anywhere else but with them (Tatsuki evilly grin). The tomboy didn't have to kick (or punch or yell) the bespectacled red-haired girl all day. Not that she minded, that is.

"So, Orihime. How did you actually found those two?"

"Well, I heard Rukia yelling at Kurosaki-kun, I think…" She put her index finger on her chin. "Then, we –Ishida-kun and I- followed the sound and well we went round and round and round and round…" Orihime drew a circle again and again in the air with her finger.

"Okay… I get it, next?" Tatsuki drank a bit of water from her bottle.

"Well then, Ishida-kun heard a waterfall and I said I wanted to soak my feet in 'cause it was so hot. So, we went there. And after that I…" She squealed again. "Saw Kurosaki-kun and Rukia-chan _KISSING!" _Tatsuki sprayed the water she was drinking. "What?! They _kissed?!_" She wiped her mouth. Orihime gasped and quickly covered her mouth with her hands. _Oops… Sorry Kurosaki-kun…_

A random guy was walking by and heard those two talking and heard about the news. He ran off and told another random guy… The news passed on to someone else but at that time, Keigo and Mizuiro fortuitously heard it. Both went, "What the hell?!!" (Actually, only Keigo did. Mizuiro jut blinked and said, "I _knew_ there was something going on between those two.") Keigo ran off to Ichigo who was currently at the other side of the campsite, crying out, "ICHIGOOOO! WHY? Why did you kissed Kuchiki-san?!! Why?!!"

With him running all over the campsite and screaming like that, the rumour about the new couple, Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia spread fast.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, idiot Keigo. _Ichigo hit his head on the wall nearby. Hard. And poor Keigo got beat up by Ichigo to a pulp.

That day, Ichigo stayed as far from Rukia as possible and if he could, both did not meet each other's eyes. People nudged each other when Ichigo passed by. Girls bombarded Rukia with their question like, "Since when did you two were out together?" And "Did you had always liked Kurosaki-kun?" Giggles and squeals included. Rukia would always use her fake school-girl voice and deny it while blushing.

0oo0oo0oo

That night, Miss Mayuki was giving some sort of speech, sort of. "Okay, tomorrow we'll be leaving this place…I know, it will be a very sad goodbye," Contrastingly, all of the students there cheered. Miss Mayuki blinked. "So, in account of the goodbye tomorrow, I'm gonna give out…" She took something behind her back. "Sparklers!!"

A random person said, "Where does she keep that thing? In her pocket?!"

"I will give each… let's see…two sticks each!" The teacher continued. Some students, namely who loved to play with sparklers groaned while the rest talked among themselves.

Ichigo took his share and went off with Chad, Keigo, and Mizuiro after both after they had lit up their sparklers. Other people played with their sparklers, from far away, it looked like fireflies are flying everywhere at the grounds.

A short time after that, Rukia came with two unlighted sparkler sticks and said to Ichigo, "Kurosaki-kun, can you help me?" Ichigo remembered that line that made him follow her and get lost in the thick forest. At first he did not want to help her just in case he got into trouble again. But then said carrot-top remembered about her cute little face as she slept, that water war, the secret place and that k… _No! I refuse to remember that and I refuse to help her!_

"Oh, Kurosaki-kuun…"she waved one of her sparkler sticks in front of Ichigo's face. Ichigo came back to earth. "…can you help me?" _I refuse to help her… _"Please?" Rukia made a cute bunny rabbit face. _Aahh… scratch that._

"What is it, Ru…Kuchiki-san?" Rukia pulled him off away from the other guys.

"My stick thing isn't doing what it was supposed to do. I don't want to ask Inoue or Tatsuki; it'll sound weird."

He sighed. Ichigo knew it was going to be something stupid, in his words. "You just put the tip on fire." Ichigo grabbed her hand (Everyone had already lit up theirs, so no one will see that they were…holding hands) and direct it so the sparkler stick was on the campfire. _Whoosh._ The sparkler…lit up

"Wow! It's so pretty!" She ran off to her friends, twirling her stick. "Silly Rukia…" he said to no one in particular. Ichigo lit up his second and last sparkler and lazily twirled it and went back to his friends.

0oo0oo0oo

Chad, Mizuiro, Keigo and Ichigo all had finished using their sparklers. Now, the guys were talking just to pass the time. Keigo kept on asking about what happened between him and Rukia for the past few days, but Ichigo ignored all his questions.

Later Rukia came to Ichigo again. She gave him a sparkler stick and before he had a chance to ask why she had given the thing to him, she kissed him right on the lips!

He stood up surprised. "What the hell was that, Rukia!?"

"Sorry, it was a dare. And besides, Inoue and Michiru said that I would get two sticks of sparklers if I do it. And Tatsuki gave you that sparkler cause she said that you were involved too." She grinned. "Well, bye Kurosaki-kun. I'm gonna play with my sparklers!"

Ichigo, surprised had nothing to say. Keigo was crying. The girls were squealing and cheering (Tatsuki excluded) Rukia was playing around with her sparkler sticks. Some people who saw that incident were laughing, some nudging their friends, and some were glaring.

Ichigo's reputation was _so _destroyed.

---------------------

Ahaha… Sparklers are fun!! IchiRukiness is fun too!

By the way, Does Rukia know about sparklers? And what does Ichigo call Rukia while at school: Kuchiki-san, or just Kuchiki? Or is it something else? I… forgot… So, if I'm wrong, I'm sorry. :3

So… Please review! Hugs and chocolate for everyone who reviews!


	11. Click!

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Bleach. Oh and the song, Close to You is by The Carpenters. So neither are mine. Okay! On with the story!

**Click!**

Ichigo groaned and turned in his sleeping bag. Orihime's sandwich had settled in his stomach. Ichigo looked over at Keigo who was sleeping peacefully and sometimes snoring a bit. He poked his friend's cheeks then he pinched it. "Stupid, how can you sleep while I can't?" Ichigo already knew the answer; his stomach is going through hell that time. "I need some fresh air."

He went out of the tent and breathed deeply. Better… a bit. A good thing about the forest is here, the air is always feels so cool, so fresh and so relaxing. No smells of smoke or the pollution like the one back at home. He took his jacket and put on his sneakers and walked around. The campfire was still there to guard off any nocturnal animals that may come to visit at night.

So, Ichigo could still see with the help of the fire and the moonlight. As the tall teen walked, he saw a silhouette of someone near the campfire. Rukia. He went to her but he abruptly stopped when he heard her, singing.

She was singing to herself, almost inaudibly but he can still hear her.

"_Why do birds suddenly appear,_

_Every time you are near?_

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you."_

He had never heard her sing before. There's a first in everything. To him, it was like beautiful music to his ears. Ichigo smiled.

"_Why do stars fall down from the sky_

_Every time you walk by?_

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

"_On the day that you were born_

_The angels got together_

_And decided to create a dream come true_

_So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold_

_And starlight in your beautiful eyes so true._

"_That is why all the girls in town_

_Follow you all around._

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

Ichigo sat down on a rock and listened to Rukia sing.

"_That is why all the girls in town_

_Follow you all around._

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

_Just like me _

_They long to be_

_Close to you…"_

Rukia stopped singing. She talked to something in her hands. "I still can't sleep, Chappy." Typical Rukia. It was her Chappy plush and she was talking to it. "Wish someone would drop by and talk… maybe then I could sleep. But who would be up at this time, right?"

Ichigo saw Rukia edging closer to the fire and rubbed her hands together. "Silly me, I should bring a jacket next time…Yuzu's clothes are so thin." And she rubbed her hands together again. _Maybe I should go to her. She looks cold and maybe Rukia could use some company._ He stood up and went over to the slightly shivering Rukia.

"Hey, Rukia…" Ichigo sat down beside her on the ground. She glanced at him, slightly suprised at the fact that the orange-haireed teen was still up at this hour.

" O-oh…hey, Ichigo. What are you doing up so late?"

"Inoue's sandwich settled in so I came out to have a walk, thinking that maybe that'd help. What about you?"

"Can't sleep. When we were at the riverside, the sound of the river flowing makes me sleepy but here… we're kinda far from a river. Besides, having to tolerate your stupidity makes me tired." Rukia laughed. Ichigo's scowl deepened. "Okay, okay… just kidding." She smiled to the orange yellow flickering light of the campfire in front of her that made Ichigo's hair didn't stand out so much. "But I really loved the time we spent together."

Both were quiet after that. It wasn't the awkward silences but a calm one; both were deep in thought of their own matters. Ichigo broke the silence first after a few moments later. "You sing beautifully, Rukia."

Rukia blushed and turned towards Ichigo. "W-what? You heard me?" Rukia turned away, blushing from embarrassment. The reason Ichigo never heard her sing before is that because Rukia never sang in front of people before. She was shy about it, divergent to her usual personality.

"Yeah. And I really think that your voice is beautiful, Rukia." Rukia blushed again.

Just then, a cold wind blew. Rukia tried to stop her body from shivering or at least make it less obvious, but failed. The wind was too cold and Yuzu's PJs are quite thin. Ichigo took of his dark green jacket and put it around Rukia's shoulder. The jacket was two or three sizes too big for her but she looked cute and adorable all the same. Rukia thanked Ichigo kindly. "Better?" he asked.

"Yeah, a bit." Rukia replied. Ichigo put his arm around Rukia and pulled her closer to him. She did not object or resist; Rukia just merely leaned towards her special friend. _Hmm… This is comfortable._ Rukia snuggled to Ichigo. _Maybe I really do just long to be close to him._ The Kuchiki snuggled closer to Ichigo and she started to drift off to slumberland when…

_Click!_

"What was that?" Ichigo said as he was a bit startled by the small _click_ he'd just heard.

"What was what, Ichigo?" Rukia answered sleepily.

"That sound."

"I didn't hear anything." Rukia yawned. Rukia pulled Ichigo's jacket closer to her, wrapping herself in the warmth of the jacket and Ichigo's body. "It must be the wind, Ichigo."

Click! 

"I guess it was…" Ichigo said, but he still looked around. "But I have a weird feeling about thi-" He looked at Rukia; she was already sound asleep. "Heh, I thought you said you couldn't sleep, Rukia…" He swept that lock of hair that was on her forehead. Ichigo yawned too. "I should be sleeping now too." He woke Rukia up.

"Hmm? Oh, I must've dozed off. Sorry, Ichigo."

"'S okay, Rukia." He kissed her on the forehead. Rukia blushed to the roots of her jet black hair "G'night Rukia."

_Click! Click! _Then a very soft _whirr… _Ichigo could've sworn that he heard something, but he ignored it, thinking that was the wind like Rukia assumed.

"Night Ichigo." Taking her Chappy, Rukia went to hers and Orihime's tent. Before she went in she waved good night to Ichigo. "Bye, Ichi." And she went into the tent. He too started to walk back to his tent.

Inoue's sandwich wasn't so bad after all… 

0oo0oo0oo

"I…Chi…GOOO!" Keigo jumped in Ichigo's back. "GOOD MORNING!!"

"Ahh! GETOFFME, KEIGO!" the orange-haired boy pushed Keigo off. "Get back to your packing! And just stop being so freakin' annoying in the morning!"

Keigo pouts. "Ehh… Ichigo, packing is no funnn… Let's see what the girls are doing, eh…eh?" Said annoying boy was poking and pinching Ichigo on the cheek. A big red vein popped on the carrot top's head. "STOP IT!" Ichigo elbowed him and Keigo fell down on the floor of the tent with a _thud_.

"Ichiigooo… you're no fun today! I'll see if Mizuiro wants to come with me!" Keigo stuck his tongue out and ran off the tent in a hurry.

"Geez, that guy can be so annoying sometimes…" Ichigo turned to take more of his stuff to put in his backpack, realizing that it wasn't there. "Where the hell did my stuff go?" Without Ichigo's knowing, Keigo had taken his stuff when he rushed out from the tent just now. "KEIGO! Come back here!" Ichigo spent the next few minutes searching for his tent mate and another few minutes persuading him to give back his stuff.

0oo0oo0oo

"Rukia-chan, are you done packing?" Orihime asked Rukia who was currently drawing in her small sketchbook. She looked up and replied with a smile, "Hmm? Oh yeah… I finished a few minutes ago."

"You're a fast packer, Rukia-chan." Orihime started to put small items such as her books and stationery in her small bag. Rukia just sat there drawing. After she had done the raven-haired girl tore off the page and put it in a book that was beside her before putting all of her remaining belongings in her small baby blue sling bag.

"EVERYONE! The bus will be arriving soon! Please come here and line up in pairs!" Miss Mayuki announced. Everyone heard her, of course. Who wouldn't if a certain teacher yelled at the top of her voice? Students came out of their tents one by one, sometimes in pairs or groups. They all formed a double line in front of the teacher…Except for Tatsuki, Chizuru and Orihime. They formed a triple line. Tatsuki wouldn't let Chizuru line up with Orhime, claiming that she would…change her.

"Umm… Tatsuki-chan, maybe I should stand with someone else…then maybe you can stand with Chizuru-chan here…" Orihime tried to solve the problem.

"NO WAY!" Both girls yelled almost instantly and in unison.

"What is going on here?!" Miss Mayuki asked. No one answered her. Seeing Tatsuki and Chizuru fight, she knew the problem; both wanted to be with Orihime. "Alright! Alright! I'll solve this. Ishida. You be with Inoue." The teacher pulled Ishida who was walking by to line up at the back of the line. Orihime smiled sweetly to Ishida. Ishida, as usual pushed his glasses up. "Arisawa and Chizuru, solve your problem _together_. And no more noise."

"This is all your fault!" Tatsuki said in a muffled voice.

"No it isn't this is _your_ fault!" Chizuru said in an audible whisper.

Both went from small muffled voices to big loud shouts a few moments later. "Urr…Why did I say this is _compulsory_…?" Those two was giving Miss Mayuki a migraine. She started to count the students. "Wait, where's Kurosaki?"

Ichigo, as we all know, was still in the tent, speed-packing. He had just got his belongings back from Keigo. Ichigo cursed a steam of curses as he packed quickly, knowing that the rest of the class was waiting for him outside. After he was done, he ran of outside wanting to line up. He saw Keigo was already in the line with Mizuiro, Chad with a classmate called Daisuke, Orihime was with Ishida. He glanced at everyone else, all of them already has a partner… execpt Rukia who was at the back of the line, alone. _No way! I will not be with her! Not in the morning!_

"Get a move on Kurosaki! Partner up!" Miss Mayuki called out.

He really didn't want to be with her at that time, not in the morning but Miss Mayuki forced-pushed him to the back of the line with Rukia. He did not meet her eye, not even once. She did the same. In fact, Rukia was chatting with Michiru who was in front of her.

"One thing, the person you are lining up with will be your partner in the bus. So no changing!" Miss Mayuki said because she didn't want more arguments from Tatsuki, Chizuru and Orihime. Tatsuki and Chizuru went, "Whaatt?! Not again!" They started to complain loudly to the teacher. Ichigo groaned.

And Rukia kicked.

0oo0oo0oo

The bus came later. Tatsuki and Chizuru still wasn't happy with their bus partner, still was protesting with Miss Mayuki who kept on asking them to shush. Ichigo wasn't all too happy either but he didn't complain to the teacher because if he did, Rukia would definitely kick him in the shin. Again.

In the bus Ichigo and Rukia argued about who will sit beside the window. Rukia won by Ichigo giving in because she had been kicking him too much. There will definitely be bruises on his shin later…

The bus rumbled as it started to move outside from the forest. Inside the bus, there were a lot of commotion going on. Ichigo looked at the students there. Chad was quiet. He was sitting at the back of the bus with Daisuke and another two guys there. Orihime was chatting loudly with Rukia. Ichigo wished he didn't sat behind Orihime and Ishida. Talking about Ishida, he kept on readjusting his glasses, which were falling down his nose. Keigo was explaining his joke to Mizuiro for the third time. Mizuiro then forced laugh even though he still didn't get his joke. Other people were talking, laughing, yelling to their friends either beside them or some rows away.

And there was that Tatsuki-Chizuru protest going on. That was the loudest of it all.

Ichigo wished that they would reach the school already…

--------------------------

Waaah! Ichigo and Rukia are incredibly OOC (again) when people aren't around. . Sorry. The next chapter will (hopefully) be a little bit in character. Sorry again 'bout the OOCness. –Ducks from the flying objects thrown at her- I think there will be like one or two chapters after this. Thanks for staying with this until now. I appreciate it very much! Thank youu.

Hmm... well...? I really like that song. You guys should hear it. Old song. I think but it's nice all the same.

Well, since you guys are all the way till the end… -points to the go button- A review won't hurt right? **Reviews pretty please**?


	12. Hearts and Chappys

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite and we all know that.

Author's notes: Been a long time since I've put something on the top A/N… Well anyways this is for everyone who read and reviewed this story.

**Hearts and Chappys**

"Kurosaki-kun, wake up." Rukia said in that oh-so-annoying voice. Ichigo grunted. Rukia looked around. Everyone was already out of the bus. W_hack_! Rukia smacked him hard on the head.

"What the hell do you want?!" Ichigo rubbed his sore head due to Rukia's hard strike.

"We're stopping by for a while. I'm waking you up unless you want to be in here in this humid bus. Miss Mayuki said this would be the only stop until we reach our school. So wake up you idiot!" Everyone else was already out so Rukia used her less annoying, real voice.

"Fine, fine! But you didn't have to hit me you know."

"Whatever Ichigo. I'm going down first. Bye." She waved at him and went off the bus.

Ichigo grunted and followed her out. He was glad that he didn't have any Rukia-related dream. It was hard enough when Orihime blurted '_The Situation' _out yesterday. As he went out, Ichigo blinked to get used to the sun's brightness.

"Ooiii! Ichigooo!" Keigo yelled at him waving to get Ichigo to come to their group, which consist of Chad, Mizuiro and of course, Keigo, himself. Ichigo went to his friends and started talking.

The whole class was already out, making a lot of noise by talking to each other loudly. Ichigo noticed that they were in a town. "You can go anywhere you want but be back here at 12.30! Anyone who is late will be left behind!" The students cheered. It's not like they had any fun for the past few days. Maybe just a _little tiny _bit when 'the rumour' spread and the sparklers were okay, but that was just about it. Everyone moved to their own groups of friends.

Right after Rukia was with her companions, she was almost instantly dragged by Orihime to go shopping at a handicraft shop nearby. Michiru, Ryo, and Tatsuki tagged along too. Rukia looked fascinated albeit she didn't have a clue what the things in the shop were called what's more what they were for. She wished that she could ask Tatsuki or Orihime or Michiru on what those things were but she didn't want to look ridiculous in front of them. She could always ask Ichigo, but he was at a stall buying some food with Chad, Keigo and Mizuiro.

Tatsuki bought a cap and a fan saying that it was hot inside the bus. Orihime bought some of those mini-books/keychains. "This blue one's for Ishida-kun… green is for Kurosaki-kun… Then this is for Sado-kun. Oh! And a pink one for Enraku!" Orihime grabbed a pink mini-book/keychain from the keychains hook.

"You're buying a souvenir for your bear?" Tatsuki asked.

Orihime nodded. "Yup! Enraku had been a good bear!" Tatsuki smiled at the childishness of her best friend. "What are you buying Rukia-chan? Are you going to buy something for Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked Rukia.

"I don't know…I'm still searching." Rukia said, even though she didn't know what to search for. Thus, Rukia randomly chose two things and paid for it. Good thing Ichigo had given her some money before they left the school some days ago.

"What did you buy, Kuchiki-san?" Michiru asked her, curious.

"Umm… this thing." She said taking out a handmade heart-shaped keychain and a fluffy white bunny keychain, not knowing what it was called.

"Oh! A bunny keychain! How cute!" Michiru said. " I should buy one of those for myself!" And she left in search of the bunny keychain.

"You are going to give the heart one to Ichigo, I'm guessing?" Tatsuki asked with a smirk/grin. Orihime asked the same question. Both were looked at her intently, waiting for an answer.

Rukia's mind told her to say, _No, I'm giving the bunny one to him… Say it, Kuchiki Rukia! Don't say yes. Do not say yes!'_

But…but those bunny eyes… Those cute bunny eyes… The fluffiness of that fur… That keychain looks a lot like Chappy…It would look good on her sling bag… She could play with it, hug it every day…

"So?"

"N-… Umm… well, yes!" Her mouth betrayed her. Rukia closed her mouth with her hands instinctively.

"Oh! How _CUTE_!" Orihime hugged her.

"Urrm! No I meant no! I want the heart one!" Rukia blurted, blushing. _Too late, Rukia…_

"Don't be shy Rukia-chan! We already know you like Kurosaki-kun." Orihime squeezed her even tighter.

_Stupid me…_

0oo0oo0oo

Rukia looked back at her friends. "Go on, give it to him!" Orihime said in a perceptible whisper. Rukia gave a nervous-like giggle. And she went to Ichigo. Using that schoolgirl voice she called him, "Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo turned towards her. Keigo, Mizuiro and Chad looked at the raven-haired girl as well.

"What?" He was eating an orange-flavoured popsicle stick.

"Take it. Don't ask any questions." She said hastily. Rukia took his free hand and put something in his hand and ran off to her giggling companions (namely Michiru and Orihime. The other two _don't _do giggling.). And they left a confused Ichigo staring at their actions.

"What the-?" Ichigo said. He looked down to his hand. A heart shaped keychain. "Hmm." His lips almost twitched to a smile but he kept his usual scowl-y face on. Said carrot-top huffed and put the keychain in his front pocket.

"What was that?" Keigo asked, feeling inquisitive.

"Nothing. Some silly toy Ru…Kuchiki-san gave me." He almost let the word 'Rukia' slipped out. He called her Rukia so much it had almost become a habit.

"You were gonna say 'Rukia' aren't you? Hmm Ichigo? Hmm? 'Nyway, tell me what was that?! Huh Ichigo? What was it? Tell me! Don't be so mean…" Keigo tried to convince Ichigo into telling him what Rukia had gave him by annoying him.

Obviously it didn't work. "Shut up Keigo! I said it was nothing!" Ichigo had a lot of practice back at home with his asinine father. Keigo wanted to persuade Ichigo even more when suddenly the booming voice of Miss Mayuki reached their ears.

"EVERYONE! It's 12.30! GATHER UPP!"

"She's loud." Mizuiro said. "Betcha half the town heard that. C'mon, we should go back."

The four friends went back to the parking lot where the bus parked. Miss Mayuki said, "Pair up with the person just now! Do _not_ change your partners. That means you Chizuru, Arisawa."

"Whaat!? What did _we _do?!"

Ichigo went to line up with Rukia. "Hey, thanks for the keychain just now."

"It's not anything special okay? Inoue forced me to give it to you." She said not looking at him. Her eyes fixed on the rabbit keychain she was playing with. Ichigo rolled his eyes. _Rabbits again…typical_.

"Everyone get in the bus, now. Sit in the place that you sat just now."

0oo0oo0oo

On the way home, Ichigo noticed a lot of people were going to the back of the bus. He sat up and looked at the back. A lot of people were crowding at the back seat. Feeling inquisitive, he got up and went to the back of the bus too. A guy passed by laughing at a few pictures in his hands.

Ichigo grabbed it from him. "WHAAAT?!!" The picture shows Ichigo and Rukia at the campfire, Rukia with her head on Ichigo's shoulders. The other one pictured Ichigo kissing a blushing Rukia on the forehead. "Where did you get this?!" He demanded from said classmate. "Kurosaki! Shhh!" Miss Mayuki tried to shush him. He didn't though. Instead, he insisted again from his classmate.

"D-Daisuke is selling some for 150 yen each."

"The hell?!" Ichigo took the pictures and threw it out of the bus through the window. "Hey! I spent 300 yen for that!" Ichigo took no notice of him and stormed off to the back of the bus. He yelled, "Daisuke!"

"Oh! Hey lover boy! Want to buy some pictures for Kuchiki-san?"

"Hell no!" Ichigo took all of the pictures featuring him and Rukia and like he did to his other classmate, he threw it out of the window.

"Hey! That was worth 150 yen per piece!" Daisuke huffed. "But it's okay I still have the negatives." He showed a roll of negatives, which Ichigo took and threw it out also. "Hey!" But he didn't continue due to Ichigo's unsympathetic hard cold facial expression. Ichigo then took sometime later to collect back all the other pictures other people bought.

0oo0oo0oo

The bus was already halfway home. Most of the students were already asleep, including Rukia. Ichigo didn't though; he was still fractious about the whole photograph thing. Ichigo tried to read a manga he got from Rukia's bag to at least try to calm him down. He didn't ask for permission because one, Rukia was asleep. She might hit him again for waking her up. And two, the manga was Karin's. Since it was his sister's… no permission needed, right?

As he flipped through the manga that he had read for the umpteenth time, he noticed a piece of paper between two pages. It was never there when he read it last time. Said carrot-top took it and flipped it over. It was a picture drawn by Rukia. He would recognize that suck-ish drawing and that messy felt-tip pen colouring anywhere. But this time he sort of liked this picture this time, minus the sucki-ness, of course. She had drew two rabbits, one with orange fur while the other one was white all over except for its ears which were black. In between the two rabbits was a big red heart. At the bottom-right hand corner was Rukia's neat small writing. _Ichigo + Rukia...4ever. _

Ichigo's eyebrows went up. _Way _up. But then he smiled softly to himself. He glanced at the sleeping girl beside him. _Cute_. Ichigo took the drawing, folded it in half and put it in his front pocket. He then continued reading the manga. He didn't concentrate much on the words or the pictures but at the girl who was sleeping beside him. This reminded him about yesterday night's time he spent with Rukia. Oddly, he felt a bit sleepy at that time. Maybe just one little rest…

0oo0oo0oo

The bus ride has reached an exceptionally bumpy part due to the roadwork, which were going on at the side of the road. People bounced in their seats because of some of the potholes the bus driver ran over. At one part, Rukia's head slumped on Ichigo's shoulder. And Ichigo's on Rukia's head. Even still, Rukia and Ichigo are still in dreamland.

Some people saw that occurrence took advantage of the scene. They took some pictures for themselves to laugh at it or squeal at it or just to blackmail Ichigo with it. They laughed evilly.

"Miss Mayuki, what time are we going to reach the school?" Orihime asked.

"Maybe at 5 pm later or something. Just look at the traffic jam here! The road works must've caused this."

"Oh." She replied flatly. People are getting restless and fidgety because they were bored. Te boredom level was so high even getting something to blackmail Ichigo with (namely the pictures) also lost its touch at this moment. Miss Mayuki didn't let them walk around the bus to talk to their friends. Even Tatsuki and Chizuru didn't complain so much anymore. Boredom can do a lot of things to a person.

At 6.30 they finally reached the school grounds. Miss Mayuki's prediction missed by an hour and a half. The traffic had gotten worse when an accident happened almost right after the roadworks ended. For once Ichigo he was glad to come back to school. Everyone got out from the bus stretched their legs. "Feels good to stretch after a long time in the bus." A random girl said, stretching.

"Nice trip wasn't it, Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo twitched as Rukia said that in her overly honeyed sweet voice.

"Hnn…"

0oo0oo0oo

After Miss Mayuki taken all the attendance, she finally let them go home. Ichigo said good-bye to all his friends. Rukia said good-bye to hers. She wanted to walk home with Ichigo but when she turned around the raven-haired girl saw that Ichigo was already walking off. Rukia wanted to catch up with him when Orihime called out to her.

"You two must live nearby each other, since you and Kurosaki-kun go home together everyday, Rukia-chan." Orihime pointed out.

"Sort of. You could say that, Inoue." Rukia answered with a grin. That… wasn't a lie, right?

Ichigo didn't say anything just merely smiled amiably. "Bye Inoue!" She said for the second time and caught up with Ichigo. Orihime waved back and walked off to her own apartment, with Tatsuki.

Ichigo walked in front of her, hands stuffed in his pockets while Rukia was behind him, a few steps behind due to her short and subtle steps. They walked in unison and in silence. Upon nearing the Kurosaki household, Ichigo stopped as Rukia called after him. She reached up and grabbed his arm.

"Ichigo wait." They were at the river near his house. The sun was setting down. Rukia ran off first to the side of the river, flinging her heavy back pack down. She sat down on the cool long grass, not caring much about the slight dampness of the grass. Ichigo sighed, followed her and sat down beside her, sitting close. Hues of red, orange, and gold painted the sky. Streaks of indigo and blue were also splashed in between the warmer colours. Sunset. It was something that happened naturally but it was still breathtaking to most of the people in Karakura Town. The two thought that this natural phenomenon was simply magnificent.

She sighed as the sun fell down below the horizon. "I love the sunset. It's just so amazing and yet it's an occurrence that happens everyday."

"Mm…yeah." He agreed. Ichigo glanced at her. To the orange-haired teen, Rukia seemed more beautiful than she already is. Ichigo shook that thought out of his head. _It must've been the colours of the evening_. "We better be heading home now…" He offered his hand to help her stand up. She took it, but she didn't stand up with him. Instead she said without unlocking her gaze at the view.

"Let's stay here for a while, Ichigo. Please?" He sat back down, letting the cool slightly damp grass tickle his feet as the evening wind blew against it. Rukia smiled to herself and inched closer to him. And unexpectedly for Ichigo, Rukia kissed him softly on the cheek. He could feel his face flush up. Rukia smiled "Thanks, Ichigo." Rukia's gaze were back to the riverside and the darkening sky. She sighed again, and then suddenly Rukia let out a small giggle.

"What?"

"This reminds me of the time when we were at the river, Ichigo."

"You liked it there, huh?"

"You kidding? I _loved_ it there. The river, the cooling air… even your stupidity seemed less annoying." Rukia laughed.

Ichigo wanted to retort back at her, but then he also remembered all the times they spent together there, so instead, he said, "Me too, Rukia." Ichigo put his hand on top of Rukia's and held on to it softly. "Me too…"

Rukia leaned her head on Ichigo's shoulder and let her eyes close softly. Ichigo smiled.

"Rukia…"

She got up from her position and looked to Ichigo. "Hmm? Yes?"

Ichigo's face turned to a tint of pink as he said, "I… umm… I thin-"

_Click!_

Both jerked up from their position and looked back. They saw Daisuke holding his camera in his hands. "Damn, next time I should get the digicam… It doesn't make so much noi… AAHH!" Daisuke sped off seeing that Ichigo and Rukia stood up, going to chase him. And due to Ichigo's long legs and Rukia's experience as a shinigami, they caught Daisuke quite easily.

Ichigo held Daisuke's hands behind his back while Rukia took his camera, kicked it and saw it flying into the sky. "Hey!! My camera!!"

They left him as he wept over his camera. "You know, he could be a great paparazzi." Ichigo said to Rukia as they walked back to the Kurosaki household.

"What's a paparazzi?" Rukia asked, puzzled.

"Never mind. Now he can't intrude other people's business anymore."

Little did they know that other people had already taken their picture in the bus.

0oo0oo0oo

"I'm hom- WARKK!"

A heavy kick landed on Ichigo's face. "Where did you go, Ichigo?! Dinner in the Kurosaki household is-" Ichigo counter attacked his dad by elbowing him in the stomach. "Auug…" Isshin leaned back to the wall due to the pain inflicted to his stomach.

"Is that how you welcome back your son you old man?!" Ichigo retorted.

"Onii-chan! Welcome home!" Yuzu hugged his brother to welcome him home.

"Hey, Ichi-nii…" Karin greeted.

"Onii-chan, I cooked a special meal for us today." Yuzu pulled Ichigo to the kitchen by the hand. She gestured to the table and said, "Steamed fish!"

_Arg… fish again…_

-------------

Guess I made the _click_ sound too obvious, huh? .

One more chapter to go!

Reviews keep me writing sooo… drop a **review please?**


	13. 4ever?

Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach. And I'm not making any profit with this fic. So no sue, me happy.

**Ichigo+Rukia…4ever??**

Things had gotten normal for the Kurosaki household almost instantly after Ichigo (and Rukia) came back from their camping trip.

"Aaah! That's _my_ fishball, old man!!" Ichigo yelled as he tried to get the fishball from his dad's chopsticks. Isshin stretched his hand as far away from Ichigo's reach as possible.

"Too slow, Ichigo, my foolish son. Remember the early dad gets the fishball and-"

"Got IT!" Ichigo pulled his dad's hand near him and took the fishball from the chopsticks as soon as he could reach it.

"ICHIIGOO!!"

"Onii-chan! Otou-san! Don't fight…" Yuzu tried to stop their fight, but failed. "Just leave them Yuzu…" Karin said. She held out her bowl to Yuzu and said, "More rice, please."

Yes, absolutely normal.

0oo0oo0oo

"Rukia, your food." Ichigo said, giving Rukia her tray of food. Rukia took the tray from him looked at what the Kurosaki had for dinner just now. "Eh…? Fish again?"

"Take it or starve, Rukia." Ichigo went to his study desk, not to study but to take out something that had been poking him since dinner. He stuffed his hand into his left pocket. He was sure something was poking him there. It wasn't sharp, just annoying. Ichigo took out… the heart shaped keychain. The one that Rukia gave to him that day. He raised an eyebrow at the toy.

Ichigo faced Rukia who was eating some rice from the small bowl using her chopsticks. The taller of the two asked, "Rukia? Why _exactly_ did you give me this?"

"Inoue forced me to." She replied simply, not even looking at him. "It's not anything special, if you're thinking."

"Meh… whatever, Rukia." He put his keychain on the desk. Then, Ichigo stuffed his hand into his other pocket and found a piece of paper in there. He almost forgot about that. It was the drawing of the two bunnies that Rukia drew. Ichigo smiled to himself softly. Rukia, noticed that his actions, looked up to see what he was so happy about.

_Pbbrtt!!_

Rukia spurted the water that she was drinking when she saw her sketch, the sketch that she really, _really_ didn't want anyone to see, especially not _Kurosaki Ichigo_.

Ichigo looked at Rukia, then the wet floor. Scowling even deeper he said, "Oi Rukia! The floors are wet! You better clean that up la-" Ichigo didn't even finish his sentence when suddenly Rukia jumped up and pounced at him.

"ICHIGO!! Give ME!!"

As soon as she said that, he knew she wanted that sketch so he teased her about it. He sat on the chair, stretching his arms as far away from Rukia as possible. "I-chi-GO! Give. Me. That!!" Ichigo stuck his tongue out, trying to annoy her some more. To him, annoying Rukia was really, really amusing. "AHH!" Rukia in desperation to get her sketch, stood on her toes and leaned on Ichigo, stretched her hands to their limit.

The chair couldn't handle it anymore and it fell onto the floor with a loud _CRASH!_ Ichigo fell on the floor, head first, missing the chair by a few inches. "Oww…" He groaned. Rukia had Ichigo as her support when she was trying to grab the drawing but when he fell, she lost her balance. And somehow ended on top of Ichigo.

She didn't notice it though. The short girl was too preoccupied in taking back her picture from Ichigo's hands, hoping that the orange-haired teen didn't read the small writing at the bottom-corner of the page. Ichigo, whose face turned a small shade of pink from their positions, stopped thinking about to tease Rukia. In that chance, Rukia grabbed her drawing from Ichigo and glared at him fiercely followed by a hard kick on his shin.

To irritate and/or embarrass her, Ichigo said teasingly "Ichigo + Rukia…4ever, is it? Hmm, Rukia?"

Surprised, Rukia stopped dead on her tracks and turned to Ichigo. _H-he read it! _Unable to say anything, Rukia opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. She looked like a gaping goldfish. Ichigo smirked. Obviously his plan to embarrass her worked perfectly. Rukia's face turned a very deep shade of crimson and ran off to her (Ichigo's?) closet, sliding the door hard and buried her very red face in her pillow.

"Heh… love you too, Rukia." He mumbled to himself, blushing slightly. Actually, Ichigo didn't want to admit it even to himself that he loves that annoying raven-haired midget. But it made him feel happy when he is around her... sometimes.

"What did you say, Ichigo?" Rukia opened the closet door a little; just enough so see can see is face. Ichigo was surprised that she had _that_ sharp of a hearing. "It's ummm… I said…" S_hould I? I mean how many chances like this would I have? Say it, Kurosaki Ichigo… _"I said… ummm… nothing. Never mind, Rukia." He couldn't do it. What with Rukia staring at him for his answer and his flushed face made his brain went to fluff jelly mode so he can't even make up those three words that he had always wanted to say to her. Damn.

Obviously not happy with his reply, she 'hmmph'-ed and slid back the closet door. Rukia couldn't face him fully at that time, she was still embarrassed that Ichigo saw the picture, and more importantly, _read_ and the note beside it. Rukia didn't say much after that.

0oo0oo0oo

At around 10.32 pm, the sound of his door being knocked woke Ichigo up. "Onii-chan, can I come in?" Yuzu's voice came from outside his room.

Ichigo grunted. "Yeah…Come in, Yuzu."

Ichigo's eleven-year-old sister came in bringing with her a thick blanket. "Onii-chan, the weather forecast said it would be very cold tonight, so I brought you an extra blanket."

"Hmm? Oh, thanks Yuzu." Ichigo took the warm blanket from her and she left his room after closing the door.

-11.43pm-

The closet doors opened slightly. A pair of violet eyes scanned the room for any signs of Ichigo being awake. None. Good. Rukia landed softly on the floor, trying her best to not make a sound as she walked. Rukia went to the door and opened it slowly. _Creeaakk_… The door creaked as she opened it. _Stupid door! You won't make any noise when opened quickly, just only when opened slowly huh?_

Rukia glanced at Ichigo. No signs of waking up. Good. But as soon as Rukia placed a step out of the room, as if on cue, Ichigo grunted and sat up on his bed. What woke him up, she doesn't know.

"Rukia…?" Ichigo said sleepily, rubbing his eyes, trying to get rid of the sleepiness. "Where're you going?"

"I…umm…am going to…uhh…drink some water!" Rukia laughed nervously a bit.

"You suck in lying as much as you suck in drawing, you know." If Rukia weren't freezing at that moment, the girl would've fiercely hit Ichigo. "If you're cold come here…Geez, I can see you shivering from here, you idiot."

She hate to admit it, but he was right. Rukia was shaking like a leaf in the wind. Rukia walked slowly to Ichigo's bed. " Don't get any funny ideas. I'm just letting you sleep here 'cause Yuzu only gave me one blanket and I don't intend to freeze to death tonight. So we'll share, 'kay?" Ichigo said.

"You are exaggerating too much, Ichigo… It's not even _that _cold."

"Yeah and I suppose you're gonna stay warm in that closet?" Sarcasm hinted in his tone

She didn't say anything. As Rukia climbed in his bed, Ichigo felt a bit unsure about it now. Sure, they slept in the same tent for the past few days, but each had _their own_ sleeping bag. Having her stay in the bed _with_ him felt…awkward, but somewhat comfortable. Rukia inched closer to Ichigo and pulled the warm thick blanket over her shoulders for warmth. Much better. The bed was ten times better than the closet. It was softer and much roomier here. Well, not _that_ much since Ichigo was on it also. But it was still much better than the closet. And the fact that Ichigo was with her is an extra special bonus.

Rukia's eyes fluttered closed as she said, "Good night, Ichigo."

"Night, Rukia. Love ya."

Rukia sat up straight on his bed, surprised and feeling not so very sleepy at the moment. _Oops._ Ichigo had accidentally let those two words slip out from his lips. Violet eyes stared intently at amber ones.

"Umm.. aaa… I- I mean…It's not tha-" Ichigo mumbled some incoherent words. Ichigo's brain was back to fluffy jelly mode again. Irritated, Rukia shut him off, by placing her lips on his. It was just a brief touching of the lips but it was enough to shut the boy up.

"Shut up, idiot." Rukia said softly. But as she laid back on Ichigo's bed she said, just enough for him to hear, "I love you too, Ichigo."

He blushed but he is happy. This is one of the things that he missed about the camping trip. To spend time with Rukia. Camping wasn't so bad after all…

"Hey Rukia, wanna go camping again?"

**…End…**

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YAY! Finished, finally. I had so much fun writing this little ficcy. Thanks to everyone who has been following this till the end and to the awesome people who took time to review. I'm so HAPPY:D (dances happily)

So did you liked the ending? Loved it? ...hated it? Tell me, please by **reviewing, please:D**


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